In this video interview, former champion Carl Froch gives his take on who he believes should be rated No.1 pound-for-pound while also taking Andre Ward to task for his in-the-ring tactics. Here’s what he had to say...
On who he considers the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing:
“I don’t know, we’ve got a couple of good fighters. I mean [Vasyl] Lomachenko seems to be one of the top, top fighters that’s on a tear. I mean Andre Ward keeps winning, albeit very ugly.
“It’s difficult for me to give [Ward] any credit, not just because he beat me, he beat me fair and square but he ducks below the waist, that’s illegal. He holds, that’s illegal. He uses his head, that’s also illegal. But he don’t get any points deducted, he don’t get disqualified. So I don’t class that kind of fighting style as pound-for-pound.”
On his thoughts about the Kovalev-Ward fight:
“I thought it was a stinker and I thought Kovalev didn’t deserve to lose, and I don’t think either of them really deserved to win. Kovalev wasn’t busy enough the last six rounds. Andre Ward was too dirty as he always is when he’s in a hard fight, so maybe that fight should’ve been a draw, that might’ve been a fair decision...
“I don’t think the rematch will happen, I don’t think Andre Ward is gonna want the rematch if I’m totally honest...There’s talk of retirement now from Ward, I don’t know what’s going on.”
On if there’s any chance of him returning to the ring:
“Eddie Hearn always likes to keep it going, trust. You’ve got the Gennady Golovkin thing going, there’s James DeGale now struggling against Badou Jack, he’s got the draw. I’m training now, but I’m training for something else. I’m training for something I’m doing in Britain on a TV show regarding the paratroop regiment...
“...but whilst I’m training up for that, I’m doing my long runs, my weight’s coming down, I’m 12 stone 10 which is about 178lbs, and I’m strong, I’m lifting the heavy weights, and I’m thinking to myself ‘why am I even thinking about fighting again?’ I’ve done everything, I’ve retired on the top, I’ve got four world titles, I’ve got a straight nose now, it’s actually straight, why do I want to get that bent up again?”