Carl Froch: Golovkin is an opponent who can motivate me

Carl Froch is still carefully considering what he wants to do with his career, but yesterday's reports of negotiations between his camp and Gennady Golovkin's team are legit, and Froch told BBC Radio that he sees Golovkin as an opponent that can motivate him, as he needs to be to fight on:

"I need the motivation, I need the fear factor and Golovkin brings that. If I decide to fight again, Golovkin's an opponent I'd definitely like. But it's a very big 'if' because one of my options is to retire."

Froch (33-2, 24 KO) has not fought since his May 2014 win over George Groves, where Froch Stopped George Groves In Front Of 80,000 At Wembley Stadium©, and has given up two title belts -- the IBF and WBA "world" super middleweight titles -- this year, with retirement on his mind, and no desire to face mandatory challengers like James DeGale.

Froch will turn 38 in July and has had a terrific career, and also probably has a second career as a boxing analyst waiting for him if he wants that, so there seems to be no great need for him to go on fighting if he doesn't want to do so. But Froch is also a fierce competitor, and boxers often have trouble stepping away from the sport because of that itch to compete. Carl has always seemed fairly self-aware with that sort of thing, and recognizes that he can't just go out there at this stage of his career for any old fight. It has to be something where he feels there's something to prove and something to gain.

Golovkin (33-0, 30 KO) represents that sort of challenge. The unbeaten middleweight has made a big name for himself by steamrolling opponents, and as Roy Jones Jr recently told Fight Hub TV, there are fighters out there who would love to be the guy who beats Golovkin -- "the man" taking down "the monster," as has happened so many times in boxing history.

This fight is still a long way from being made if it's going to be made at all, and if it does happen, most likely the situation will be as much in Froch's favor as possible -- in the United Kingdom, he gets bulk of the money, which is fair enough, really. Golovkin and K2 Promotions have given no indication that they're afraid to travel or take a risk. Maybe we'll see it. Maybe we won't.