Froch interview: Dirrell better fight like a man

[whiskey]

http://www.livefight.com/news.php?news_ ... =2009&m=09



21.09.09

LiveFight.com spoke exclusively to Carl Froch during training in preparation for his huge homecoming fight.

Froch spoke confidently ahead of his showdown on October 17th against Andre Dirrell at the Trent FM arena. Froch touched on training, Dirrell and the Super Six.

"Training is going very strong thanks. I've been busy working hard and putting the miles in as usual. I'm already in tip top shape and have been handling the lads in sparring. We've got a good blend of height and speed amongst them and they've been jumping in and out as i take them on, back to back."

"I'm not going to say too much but we've got a few special spars flying in shortly. A tall and rangy unbeaten light heavyweight southpaw amongst others.

I've always done well against southpaws. (Brian) Magee and (Sergey) Tatevosyan were both southpaws and I'm the only person to halt them both in style. If anything I think southpaws struggle with me. I'm a not a conventional orthadox fighter in that sense. Once I get my big right hand going it usually closes the show."

I asked Froch about Dirrell and his strengths and his focus intensified :-

"Don't get me wrong I have watched a bit of Dirrell who sometimes switches here and there and to be honest i've sussed what he is and what he's not. Dirrell has natural ability but we all know this fight will be so much more than that. So I'm not overly concerned with any of his attributes. Pascal and Taylor had hand speed too."

"But if he wants to be world champion then he'd better come prepared to fight like one. He's stunk the place out a few times running away rather that fighting like a man, there is no honour in that."

I mention Dirrell's Olympic bronze :-

"He's got an Olympic bronze and fair play to him his family must be proud of him.

I got a bronze at the World Amateurs, the first this country ever won in that tournament but you don't see my corner man dangling it like a chocolate coin before I fight.

No disrespect to his achievments, but my medal got thrown in a draw as I was angry I didn't put my all into a fight and lost - that's the last time that will ever happen. I've had more amateur fights than him and have seen a few like Dirrell on my travels too.... Jean Paul Mendy was a tall rangy southpaw I beat as an amateur amongst others. But the pro game is a different entity with far more variables. The amateurs teaches you only so much and not every successful Olympian makes it as a world champion. My style always suited the professional game more. I'm not into scoring points and running, only dishing out hurt."

I spoke with Froch about Dirrell training up in the mountains :-

"He's not going to find spars that replicate me up a mountain is he? He can run up and down big bear or wherever till his legs fall off, but finding a Froch replica is not going to happen for him.. He can be as fit as a fiddle but if the sparring ain't thought through it means little. He might think in his mind that training there is giving him superpowers but the reality is it don't. I can reel of a load of names that trained there and got starched. If anything being isolated up there is giving him nothing else to think about but me. Thoughts of me catching up with him and ripping him apart. "

I mention that Dirrell has been studying his fight with Jermain Taylor and that he believes speed is the key for him in this fight :-

"I'm glad he's watching my fights. My last few performances I've dealt with broken ribs, a cruciate ligament operation and an ulcerated cornea before the first bell rang. This time i'm tip top. Quite a few pro's have commentated that sharing the ring and watching me on tape is like comparing night and day. They all see these weaknesses. But i'm not 'weak' in any department."

I ask Froch if the fact that Dirrell has a young family and the world to prove to, has any bearing on the fight:-

"I've heard it all from previous fighters and it gets boring. He's young and hungry, with bills to pay and mouths to feed. I know what he's thinking, but he does not know what i'm thinking. In his mind this is his big opportunity. I know he'll be training hard and right now, mentally, he's probably feeling good about things. But deep down, he's knows he's going to lose. He probably thinks he's going to silence the crowd with his sublime boxing skills. He's not the first and I doubt he'll be the last. He may draw inspiration from his family, but he'll looking to survive for their sakes, rather than fight for them when I drop some bombs on him.

"There is nobody as hungry as me in this tournament, it don't even need saying. Those who have followed my career know the disappointment with people like Inkin, injuries and people not wanting to fight me. It's took me a long time with a lot of disappointments along the way to reach this point in my career. I'm fighting in my town, on my soil and in front of my fans. Like the others before him, Dirrell is going to feel the full force of my wrath. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve and he's in for some nasty surprises. I was not fortunate to get plucked from nowhere to compete in this. I fought my way into this show against the odds and I'm here on merit and not on nationality."

I ask him whether or not the later time to fight will have any influence on this:-

"Not at all. To be honest I go to bed quite late anyway. I'm already training later and later in the day and come fight night my preparation from that point of view will be on the nail. The late kick off will have no impact on the night. I've blacked out my bedroom windows and my house is nice and quiet. I live about 12 minutes door to door from the arena so it's perfect. I was on the road for my last fight against Taylor and will be on the road for the next one too. So to fight in front of my UK fans drives me on that little bit more. "

I finally ask him whether or not there are any messages for his fans:-

"I'm really looking forward to fighting back in Nottingham in front of all my old fans and quite a few new ones. It'll be the first time I've fought 'as champion' in my hometown and that feeling as champ gives me that extra edge. It's true what they say, that when a fighter becomes champion it gives them the extra push to stay on top and I look forward to putting on a great performance for them all."

Livefight.com wished Carl all the best for his current fight and will feature some sparring photo's shortly.

[Wales]

good read, enjoyed it.

[teddy007]

Good read, now if any of the LHW on here want to spar a proper champion who wont hold back then get in touch with Froch, then you will find out what you are made of. Might be good for Bellew.

[Rixxy]

good interview, im goin to see him in nottingham, cant wait

[hitman_hatton1]

typical froch bluster.

deep down he knows he's going to lose.

so f*cking arrogant.

dirrell is gonna be bouncing em off his nugget all night long.

[Counter-puncher]

your hardon for Dirrell is strange.

[hitman_hatton1]

your hardon for Dirrell is strange.

i wanna see kessler win the tournament.

class act guy. ;;-)

but i rate dirrell highly and i don't like froch.

i don't need any ammo to bash froch.

cos he keeps coming up with interviews like this.

[teddy007]

he never done well against 1 southpaw my bro beat him in the a.b.a final(mind my bro sparred him at squad training the year after and said thank fook froch aint at my weight anymore cos that lad can bang now

Sorry Billy that aint true, Magee and the Russian fella were south paws and high level pro's, not a 4 rnd aba final fight.

[hitman_hatton1]

the russian fella.

he was sloppy as hell against magee i thought.

got the job done but that was about it really.

[whiskey]

the russian fella.

he was sloppy as hell against magee i thought.

got the job done but that was about it really.

I appreciate you dont like him and hey, there are more than a few out there but .. :-

..'that Russian' had took Bute the full 12 and had a ko of Rudy Markussen and was the then-Russian super middleweight champion. He was also the guy who dropped Kessler in front of the press ahead of the Marcus Beyer fight and Froch absolutely took him to bits in 2 rounds flat.

Against Magee, he snapped his thumb on account of wearing the specified Britannia gloves which didn't have the thumbs stitched into the glove and he broke it off. It was a messy fight but he did what no other did (sparked magee out) with one good hand. I saw it the next day and it looked like a victoria plumb. It was purple and about twice the size and in a sling. He had to go into theatre for them to reattached the bone and have it pinned it into place. It was a real nasty injury.

[forcefraser]

Frochy is one hard geezer, no doubt about that. Not an easy fight against Dirrel though. I am going for Froch to beat him down in another war.

[Wales]

he never done well against 1 southpaw my bro beat him in the a.b.a final(mind my bro sparred him at squad training the year after and said thank fook froch aint at my weight anymore cos that lad can bang now

Sorry Billy that aint true, Magee and the Russian fella were south paws and high level pro's, not a 4 rnd aba final fight.

I think Billy is saying, or tryingt o say, "theres one southpaw he didnt do well against..."

[alexpaterson]

Good interview I think Froch will really struggle with Dirrell's fast hands and boxing skills I can also see him winning the tournement

[hitman_hatton1]

Against Magee, he snapped his thumb on account of wearing the specified Britannia gloves which didn't have the thumbs stitched into the glove and he broke it off. It was a messy fight but he did what no other did (sparked magee out) with one good hand. I saw it the next day and it looked like a victoria plumb. It was purple and about twice the size and in a sling. He had to go into theatre for them to reattached the bone and have it pinned it into place. It was a real nasty injury.

sounds nasty.

i respect froch.

as i do all fighters.

different breed.

but i still wanna see dirrell cut froch down to size.

maybe it'll stop these god awful press releases as well.

it's just comments like 'deep down he knows he's going to lose' that rubs me up the wrong way.

if hatton was coming up with this stuff he'd get endless bashing on here.

but cos froch is undefeated everyone is sucking him off.

[Bennyblanco]

Against Magee, he snapped his thumb on account of wearing the specified Britannia gloves which didn't have the thumbs stitched into the glove and he broke it off. It was a messy fight but he did what no other did (sparked magee out) with one good hand. I saw it the next day and it looked like a victoria plumb. It was purple and about twice the size and in a sling. He had to go into theatre for them to reattached the bone and have it pinned it into place. It was a real nasty injury.

sounds nasty.

i respect froch.

as i do all fighters.

different breed.

but i still wanna see dirrell cut froch down to size.

maybe it'll stop these god awful press releases as well.

it's just comments like 'deep down he knows he's going to lose' that rubs me up the wrong way.

if hatton was coming up with this stuff he'd get endless bashing on here.

but cos froch is undefeated everyone is sucking him off.

A boxer talking himself up, who would of thought

[rhino222]

great interview, i love froch... 'dishing out hurt' .. great stuff...

[rhino222]

I saw it the next day and it looked like a victoria plumb. It was purple and about twice the size

... were you in the urinal next to froch ?? .... was it like a cobra ?? ....

[Deserter]

cos froch is undefeated everyone is sucking him off.

Nonsense. It is because Froch is that absolute rarity among fighters. Someone who doesn't just talk the talk but walk the walk. What he's done in a short space of time at world level has been fanastic - name me one other British fighter who would have been prepared to face Taylor in Taylor's backyard as his first defence
Froch won't have a long reign because of his style but I absolutely love the fact that he's his own man, has the confidence in himself that goes hand-in-hand with that, and is an absolute warrior.
He's an example to all the other fighters out there - do you think if he'd had an equivalent of Witter that Froch would have avoided fighting him for years? No, of course not. Given the first opportunity he'd have taken the fight.
Just that one example says it all in terms of why most of us love him and why we still will when he loses. The 0 will go, but you can guarantee the respect he's earned from true fans won't have done.

[Webbo911]

Classic Froch this.

I know it gets on some peoples nerves, but I think it's funny. Keeps things interesting.

Froch by UD in a very close, entertaining fight.

[charlieb]

Froch is an absolute comedy goldmine, pure and simple. I'd love to see him go all the way in the tourney, really would.

He's just got this entirely blinkered view of the things that go on around him, it's like Froch-vision, he's just reporting it as he sees it from the other side.

"He's got an Olympic bronze and fair play to him his family must be proud of him.

I got a bronze at the World Amateurs, the first this country ever won in that tournament but you don't see my corner man dangling it like a chocolate coin before I fight."

He's fast becoming a favourite of mine, especially outside of the ring.

[teddy007]

How any boxing fan cannot like Froch is beyond me, he is absolute class. Name me another fighter with balls and guts as big as his and I will call you a liar, the only one who comes close is Haye, Hatton and Calzaghe fought wankers for years. Give Froch some credit because he is class.

[Bennyblanco]

One thing is for sure, if he beats dirrell (and im sure he will) there will be alot more interviews like this. bring it on i say

[whiskey]

I enjoyed the Mayweather Saturday, but his defence-minded approach doesn't make me go back to watch his fights again and again.

Froch gets stick for his mouth, his defence and everything else, but without them the fun factor just wouldn't be there anymore.

If he won his fights on points every time behind a water tight defence, against smaller hand picked opponents and was cordial and respectful about absolutely everyone it just wouldn't be the same.

Even the people that don't like him, actually enjoy his fights and despite the fact they may root for the opponent they are still tuned-in and looking forward to it when the fight actually arrives.

For me he is the full package - wheras Cotto is extremely courteous and businesslike outside the ring he is an animal inside it. On the otherhand you have Mayweather acting like a gangsta bad ass outside the ring, yet inside he fails to go for the jugular.

Froch talks the talk and then lays it all on the line in the ring. It's a crying shame he's not bigger news in the UK because a lot of casual fans who accidentally watched the Pascal fight after falling in from the pub all agreed that it was a one of the best tear ups they'd seen.

[Bennyblanco]

^^^ spot on

[ourkid1984]

Froch is great to see and gives good interviews, after all its an entertainment business and that's what he does.

I think he will beat Dirrell by knock out and may get knocked down early as well.

I'm suprised Sky haven't anounced it yet, where will people in the UK be able to watch it (apart from in Nottingham )?