Froch vs Pascal ...What they are saying

[Wellington]

While Canada has a proud history of strength at the super-middleweight division, so does Great Britain. Names such as Nigel Benn, Chris Eubanks, Joe Calzaghe have dominated the division in its short twenty year existence that has also seen Brits Robin Reid, Richie Woodhall and Glenn Catley also hold world championship belts. Saturday night live on Canada's Super Channel Nottingham native Carl Froch was added to that list.

Froch continued to call out Calzaghe after the fight still in hope of an all Union Jack super fight. The WBC has mandated Jermain Taylor as the mandatory up next for Froch. Whether or not either fight will materialize remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, British fans and press alike were impressed by both fighter and performance in what many called the fight of the year.
Here’s what they’re saying:



TELEGRAPH: Carl Froch, Britain's new world champion, has revealed that he had entered the fight of his life on Saturday with a perforated eardrum and a cracked rib, both sustained in his last sparring session 10 days ago.
A shoo-in as 'fight of the year.
"Taylor's now Carl's mandatory challenger but it looks like he's already looking for the exit signs," (promoter Mick) Hennessey said. "He's already looking to fight IBF champion Lucien Bute in his next fight."
Froch was punched relentlessly by Pascal's looping right hand.



Independent: Every few years a fight lands in a British ring with the potency, intensity and raw drama to leave behind a set of memories that nobody on their sofas, in the pubs or in the crowd will ever forget and that is what happened on Saturday night in Nottingham.
Froch and Pascal turned back the clock of caution and big business. The pair entered the ring unbeaten and fought like two relentless men in desperation to keep their records secure.



The Times: The most exciting bout on terrestrial television since Nigel Benn and Gerald McClellan 13 years ago.



The Guardian: Froch has never been floored, either as amateur or professional, but his resilience was tested as never before in the first six rounds, when boxing skills were sometimes forgotten as the torrid exchanges seemed to be as much about a ritual of machismo as any crafted strategy.
This thunderous confrontation between two hitherto undefeated fighters immediately rekindled memories of the night 18 years ago when Chris Eubank first shared a ring with Nigel Benn.



BBC: Bute, who is unbeaten in 23 fights, lives in Canada and Hennessy said Froch would travel to Montreal to meet the Romanian-born southpaw, if the deal was right.
Froch added: "I'd fancy IBF champion Bute, it would be a good fight."



SportingLife: He rocked me to my boots a couple of times but I stayed with it and that's what you have to do to get this green belt around your waist," Froch added.

[Chambers2]

I'm still beaming

Bring on the BIG boys, lets just hope one of them fancies the job...... hopefully it'll be Joe from Newbridge

[rhino222]

i honestly think thatfroch will stop calzaghe !!

[Deserter]

i honestly think thatfroch will stop calzaghe !!

Calm down fella - that looks even more implausible after Saturday night. What makes you envisage that outcome?

[Max Molyneux]

i honestly think thatfroch will stop calzaghe !!

I want the fight to happen so Joe will repeat that god like performance he gave against Lacy.

[THEBUTCH]

If Calzaghe was in two minds about whether to fight Froch, I think Saturday nights stunning display from Carl will convince Joe to do a "Steve Collins" and retire rather than face the obvious choice (Froch).

[m1kee50]

Its only obvious to two sets of people: Us, and Carl Froch.

Calzaghe doesnt want it, US TV wont want it (and thats where the money is) and the US fight fans (ditto the money) dont want it.

Can Calzaghe-Froch do better than Calzaghe-Jones? I think not, and that only went 225,000 buys in the States, and near 500'000 on Setanta - BUT that was 'free', so you'd need to reduce the expectation if it went PPV.

[Twinkle Toes]

i honestly think thatfroch will stop calzaghe !!

Based on what?

Come on Rhino, I know you have to tow the party line so you keep getting your free passes, but explain why, or else you're no more than a pale imitation of Spud. D

[THEBUTCH]

Rhino222's prediction isn't so far fetched.

Froch's jab may negate the speed and Carl will also be dishing out a level of punishment that I don't think Calzaghe has encountered too often.

[youngrell]

I like Froch and enjoyed the fight Saturday night, but seriously he does not want to fight Joe because he will be back to square one.

Watching Sat I could picture Joe dancing around him and confusing him all night, Froch is too slow to fight Joe. Pascal didn't do much moving on his feet and he was slipping almost everything Froch threw at him. I still think Carl can beat almost all in SMW division though. A fight against Kessler would gauge how good or capable of beating Joe he is IMO.

[Coco]

If Big Mick wants to step up to the big time, he can write that 5m cheque and i'm sure JC would be very tempted.
I can't see what FW can put on in competition.
Maybe Macca v Banks, Cook v Foster, the Harrison v Rogan rematch and perhaps now Lawton beat Gethin he can have another crack at Khan's Commonwealth title!

[CheckHook]

I enjoyed Froch Vs Pascal, It was a great fight that showcased two good fighters, but I didn't see anything special, from either man, to be honest. Froch looks durable and powerful and it looks like he'd give anyone problems at 168 but in truth, I'd fancy both Kessler and Taylor to beat him in a tough fight if they fought right now. As for Calzaghe, it would probably be a fight at 175 and I really don't see Froch having a chance. He's way to easy to hit and while his chin might hold up he'd take a steady beating, probably landing the odd decent shot when Calzaghe gave him a free hit but I doubt it'd be enough to really trouble Calzaghe.

[Wax On]

If Calzaghe was in two minds about whether to fight Froch, I think Saturday nights stunning display from Carl will convince Joe to do a "Steve Collins" and retire rather than face the obvious choice (Froch).

I think the opposite to be honest.

I think Calzaghe would have been watching it thinking I'll pick him off all night if he fights that open and at that pace. Calzaghe is Froch's worst nightmare.

[Autobarn]

Froch may go on to be a top champ, and then ppl will be saying, "Darren Sutherland has no chance, Froch is his worst nightmare."

[The_Don1]

If Calzaghe was in two minds about fighting Froch, then Saturday night would have made his mind up - it will be the easiest 5 million he's ever made (should that offer be true). Joe will run rings rounds Froch who is too slow for him and leaves himself wide open.

There's no way he'd floor Froch but he'd ease to a UD over him.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great fight and Froch certainly won, but I doubt he will clean up the divison - Kessler would beat him, no doubt.

If he wants to unify he needs to target Bute (as he's looking to do) as clearly Universum/Inkin won't be interested and he'd only lose to Kessler.

[Wax On]

Froch may go on to be a top champ, and then ppl will be saying, "Darren Sutherland has no chance, Froch is his worst nightmare."

Not even comparable. Totally agree with the Don. Joe will run rings round him!

[Autobarn]

If Calzaghe was in two minds about fighting Froch, then Saturday night would have made his mind up - it will be the easiest 5 million he's ever made (should that offer be true). Joe will run rings rounds Froch who is too slow for him and leaves himself wide open.

There's no way he'd floor Froch but he'd ease to a UD over him.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great fight and Froch certainly won, but I doubt he will clean up the divison - Kessler would beat him, no doubt.

If he wants to unify he needs to target Bute (as he's looking to do) as clearly Universum/Inkin won't be interested and he'd only lose to Kessler.

I think a conventional opponent might be best first, like Taylor or Kessler. They both do everything off the jab, but they will have to step into the line of fire due to Froch's height and reach (if he applies it). I doubt they'd be able to just stand off and jab.

If Froch tries to harrass that kind of opponent, they're taken out of their comfy pace, and may get drawn into a slugging match which suits him.

Reckon it would take a while to catch up with Bute, due to the southpaw stance, size and decent skills of Bute.

[Autobarn]

Froch may go on to be a top champ, and then ppl will be saying, "Darren Sutherland has no chance, Froch is his worst nightmare."

Not even comparable. Totally agree with the Don. Joe will run rings round him!

Bollox

I'll ask again, what top p4p fighters would Joe have beaten, just after the Eubank fight? Or even at the age of 31 (and if he was why didn't he?)

That's a fair comparison.

Froch has only just reached world level properly, & if he comes through good championship fights then he'll be ready for the big bouts. And there's plenty out there, at that weight. Froch vs his contemporaries is what everyone should be focused one.

[Crease]

Froch could stop Calzaghe...

He certainly has the pwer to do it... ... (one of the reasons why Carl was one of the avoided boxers in today current scene).

[Tommy Gunn13]

Id like Calzaghe to retire,if he lost to Froch(which could happen) it would ruin his legacy...

[Autobarn]

Say, did anyone see that correct right hook that Calzaghe landed on Jones? I was a bit taken aback, never seen him do that before. It was at the end of round one, he turned his body into it, hit with the knuckle.

If it takes him 14 years to throw a correct hook, and if he gets dropped by 40 yo's when he decides the time is right to pick on 'em, it's safe to say Joe isn't as good as ppl are regarding him right now (top 3 p4p, modern legend).

Reminds me of the Pinter play, 'The Homecoming.' The old git says to his son, "Boxing, it's about attacking, and it's about defending. Your problem is, you're no good at attacking, and you haven't got a defence." In the case of Joe, he is good, but his deficiencies in offence and defence were papered over by matchmaking; 20 defences; 1000 slaps and you're suddenly a legend in this day.

As Futch said, and it applies to Joe, "In Britain they build records not fighters."

[states]

Joe was not 'almost Ko'd in 30 seconds' by either Hopkins or Jones, Ant, let's not go overboard. I actually thought Saturday night showed up Carl's power a bit. He can certainly hit, but can he get the top class guys out of there? Pascal has hardly proven himself to be Eubank in the Chin department, has he?

Calzaghe by reasonably comfortable decision, if it does happen. Which it won't.

[Chambers2]

He can certainly hit, but can he get the top class guys out of there? Pascal has hardly proven himself to be Eubank in the Chin department, has he?

He hasn't had the chance to other than on Saturday, Pascal has never been stopped as an Am or Pro though, so he looks to have solid whiskers.

[whiskey]

Calzaghe is tough fighter and is a well decorated, popular, wealthy guy.

Froch could be a cakewalk, or he could be his worst nightmare.

I know people bang on about Froch's defence etc as if that's Calzaghe's key to victory - but he is no Jeff Lacy, he is an evil, hard opponent who will fight, slug and scrap with anyone. He will find a way to win.

It's a big ask to keep someone like Froch off you for 12 rounds. If Joe's brittle hand's go, he could be in deep water.

You just know that Froch is going to move heaven and earth in that ring against Joe. Wheras Joe may not view Froch as a threat in the same manner as say, Kessler or Lacy.

Against Pascal, Froch was expecting someone to stick and move, so jumped in there head first - and Pascal had the same idea, which led to some raucous action. Midway Froch changed tactic and the fight changed dramatically, they still had tear-ups but Froch assumed control by the mid point.

Beforehand i was saying how Carl would stop him late. But when I actually met Pascal, checked him out and watched some videos I knew he was not going to roll over. He was coming off a year off, following a torn shoulder. Froch was getting him at the right time. I think Pascal could go on to be a dark horse in the division. He was a chunky size, very stocky and strong with some slick moves. Certainly not this 'B level fighter' people hoped for. Carl hurt his hand early and failed to nail him cleanly, but Pascal still took took respectable digs. He winced, but didn't fold like others have. He will come again.

If I was Joe, i wouldn't fight Froch - especially after his recent comments about his kids not wanting him to fight and not being punch drunk in later life.

And using that pile of sh*t Jeff Lacy as a yard stick in the comparison is like comparing black with white, they are completely different in technique. He was being soundly outboxed by the relic that was Syd Vanderpool before losing to Joe.

Since then he beat Manfredo by 1 point on Chuck Giampa's card. He drew with Mendoza according to another judge. Got a gift against Tsypko and was a 1-dimensional punchbag against Taylor.

Joe WILL outbox Froch - but given Joe's style, Froch WILL land heavy.

He will slap his way to victory or get caught clean & hard and will be stopped.

I'd say it was 60-40 in Calzaghe's favour - certainly not a whitewash.

[states]

He can certainly hit, but can he get the top class guys out of there? Pascal has hardly proven himself to be Eubank in the Chin department, has he?

He hasn't had the chance to other than on Saturday, Pascal has never been stopped as an Am or Pro though, so he looks to have solid whiskers.

I didn't know that about Pascal's amateur days, Stu. No shame in Carl not stopping him then (Not that there ever was). My point really (as you alluded to in your first sentence), is that he's up with the big boys now, so we'll see what his power is all about. We've all seen guys who blew through opponents on the way up, then couldn't do it at the top level.

Frankly though, as long as Froch is in fights as exciting as last Saturdays, I don't really care. T'was a top night in Nottingham.