Carl Froch's Top Five Super-Middleweights Of All Time

[Ruthless-RKO]

In many ways, Carl Froch was one of the more unlikely star stories in recent boxing memory, but he made the absolute most of his ability, becoming a three-time super middleweight titleholder and facing basically everyone tough there was to face during his time as a top-tier contender and champion.

Recently, Sky Sports sat down with Froch and asked for his top five super middleweight fighters in history. It’s still a relatively young division, of course, really only coming around in the mid-1980s, with the IBF creating a title for the 168-pound division in 1984, and the WBA and WBC adding belts in 1987 and 1988.

Froch has never been one to not speak his mind with his honest opinions on fellow fighters, so it was entertaining, as he usually is.

5) Mikkel Kessler

“His results, the way he fights. I’ve shared the ring with him over an hour and 12 minutes of punching holes in each other. When he fought Joe Calzaghe, I know for a fact — and a good friend of mine, Darren Barker, can also back this up, he was in his camp sparring with him. He had to listen to him screaming in training camp when he was on the pads because his hand was hurting that bad. Mikkel Kessler, for me, deserves the number five spot.”

4) Joe Calzaghe

“He won the WBO belt on an undercard of a Prince Naseem Hamed card in Sheffield. He fought an old, faded Chris Eubank, who was weight drained. He won the WBO title and then he defended it for 10 years against ... I don’t even know, I can’t remember the names of the guys he fought for 10 years. But he’s unbeaten in 46 fights, Hall of Famer. You can’t argue against his record, but he had 10 years of mediocrity defending that title. Probably his best win was against an injured Kessler. Many say Jeff Lacy, but let’s be honest, Jeff Lacy was a hype job.

“Then the Hopkins win pretty much said, ‘Right, Calzaghe’s good, he can fight,’ and Hopkins went on to achieve quite a lot of things after that loss. But the Hopkins win was so close, so debatable. ... That’s maybe one he was lucky to get the win. Then he fought a totally shot to bits Roy Jones Jr, and he even said himself a couple years before that in an interview I read, that beating Roy Jones Jr proved nothing because he’s so finished, so past his best. Then of course he went and fought him and beat him and claims to have beaten a great legend.

“But yeah, Joe Calzaghe deserves to be at No. 4. He was a top super middleweight, top fighter, many good attributes. Tough, strong, fit, real good work ethic, refused to quit. But there’s a couple of flaws in there for me. The Robin Reid fight was so close, as well. He could have lost that Reid fight, many had Reid winning that. That deserved to be an immediate rematch. Guess what? We never got the immediate rematch. Didn’t happen. So that stains it for me.”

3) Carl Froch

“The Cobra deserves his No. 3 spot, he’s got to deserve a No. 3 spot! Anyone who wants to argue and debate me and tell me I don’t deserve to be at No. 3, I’m all ears! I’m not getting hard behind my computer screen, I don’t fancy a fight because no one can throw any punches at me, but I’m open for debate. And I’m sure it will create a bit of debate, but that’s my opinion. I’ve got Kessler at five, I’ve got Joe Calzaghe at four, I’ve just writ him off, probably undeservedly, to be honest...”

2) Andre Ward

“He has to be at No. 2, just because of his results. And I’m not gonna talk about Andre Ward, because I’ll fall asleep.”

1) Roy Jones Jr

“He’s just amazing, he’s supremo, he’s the creme de la creme. Unbeatable, untouchable. Forget losing a fight, he never lost a round — he never lost any second of any round at super middleweight. Roy Jones Jr, what a fighter. He’s No. 1. To me, you can’t even argue.”

There you have it, straight from “The Cobra” himself. There’s much more to the video, too, with Johnny Nelson and Matthew Macklin discussing Calzaghe-Froch along with Carl, which is also pretty fun.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'd say it's a fair list, of course you could argue Calzaghe is rated above him, but i would say it's close as Calzaghe fought a lot of very soft competition during that reign, it was laughable at times.

[smiling assassin]

He’s a proper wind up

[Verdi]

RJJ
Toney
Ward
Calzaghe
Collins

[stujones]

Going to get slated I know - but you just cannot dismiss a 10 year, partially unified world champion.

As super middle (strictly) go.

Eubank / Kessler /Froch - toss up for the three. Eubank had around 15 title defences - so that can't be shunted at. Froch has better resume than Kessler but IMO Kessler was past his prime when he beat him (narrowly) and quite a bit past his prime when he lost narrowly. Kessler's loss vs Ward (and the manner of the defeat) is something though I always see as a bit of a black mark on Kessler. Remember I think Kessler was the favourite going into that fight.
Ottke
Joe
Ward
Jones.

[Muttley]

RJJ
Toney
Ward
Calzaghe
Collins

i'll go with that

[Onamastus]

I would expect Toney to make a mess of Froch. And I could see Nunn, Griffin and Liles being extremely difficult for him. Collins vs Froch is interesting.

[stujones]

Yes, I've looked at reign etc - not who I think wins between them. I think the 1988/1989 version of Tommy Hearns who was WBO champion would have been too much for a lot of the fighters mentioned also but his reign was short as was Toney's. I think you've got to look at the reign cos then do you then also consider greats who largely by passed the division and only fought there in non title fights but you know would have excelled there - e.g. Hopkins circa 2002 +, Mike McCallum etc - both outstanding Middleweights and Light Heavies.

If you looking at talent who fought and won a belt at Super Middle - then I think the list is quite different - probably more like.

RJJ
Ward
Toney
Hearns
Calzaghe / Nunn (close call) - I think the 4 above Joe would have beaten Joe at their peak of their Super Middleweight championship career. Nunn's lack of consistency might have been a problem.

[Twinkle Toes]

People get a proper hard on for Toney, but what did he do at super middle to be rated above Calzaghe or Froch.

He didn't stay there long enough to be considered a great super middle.

[Verdi]

RJJ
Toney
Ward
Calzaghe
Collins

i'll go with that

The top 4 are pretty clear for me, but I had to think about 5. Collins could've been replaced with the likes of Benn, Eubank or Chong-Pal Park. But since Collins was 4-0 against Benn + Eubank, I had to plump for him.

[Isaax]

Toney fought REAL fighters like Barkley, unbeaten Littles and Prince Charles Williams.

Toney, Jones and Nunn are by far the three best.

Eubank, Calzaghe and Ward come next.

Froch is quite a way back.

[Isaax]

Chong Pal Park? Lindell Holmes beat him clearly.

[Onamastus]

People get a proper hard on for Toney, but what did he do at super middle to be rated above Calzaghe or Froch.

He didn't stay there long enough to be considered a great super middle.

It's not like he could fight Benn or Eubank, who were both scared to death of him. Don King had the other champs but he was happy to go right in with the supreme Roy Jones. What else could he do? I guess his super middle work would be more respected if he hid out in his back yard for a decade racking up twenty WBO defences against second raters.

[Twinkle Toes]

Toney fought REAL fighters like Barkley, unbeaten Littles and Prince Charles Williams.

Toney, Jones and Nunn are by far the three best.

Eubank, Calzaghe and Ward come next.

Froch is quite a way back.

Like I say, Toney's résumé doesn't stand up to any serious scrutiny up at super middle - He got schooled by Jones jr, and apart from that his best win was against Littles.

If that makes him a top 3 super middle then you're basing it on other things he brought to the table, because it definitely wasn't his record at that weight.

[Isaax]

Yeah like being the best in the business, etc. Toney was a class above until he ate himself out of the Roy fight

[Onamastus]

Toney fought REAL fighters like Barkley, unbeaten Littles and Prince Charles Williams.

Toney, Jones and Nunn are by far the three best.

Eubank, Calzaghe and Ward come next.

Froch is quite a way back.

Like I say, Toney's résumé doesn't stand up to any serious scrutiny up at super middle - He got schooled by Jones jr, and apart from that his best win was against Littles.

If that makes him a top 3 super middle then you're basing it on other things he brought to the table, because it definitely wasn't his record at that weight.

This is a reductive and silly way of judging a fighter's capabilities. Nunn was The Man at super middle at the same time as Toney was IBF champ, and Toney had already KOd him. Toney was later regarded number 1 in the world. Benn and Eubank wouldn't fight him. Who else should he have fought? Give names. Vinny Pazienza? Cornelius Carr?

He fought Roy Jones, a man Benn, Eubank and Collins wouldn't fight. So he got schooled. It was by one of the best ever. Froch would have got schooled by Jones too. Calzaghe as we all know wouldn't fight him in his prime.

Calzaghe's toughest fight was a win over Chris Eubank, a man who was too scared to fight Toney.

Saying 'he only beat Tim Littles' is nonsensical. Why would so many people fear a man who only beat Tim Littles? It's almost as if everyone else knew how good Toney was.

[fizzjambo]

RJJ
Toney
Ward
Calzaghe
Collins

Id have Kessler over Collins at 5 and it’s a toss of the coin between Ward and Calzaghe. Froch would be just outside the top five for me

[Isaax]

I struggle to put Kessler in there, didn't have the wins.

Nunn, Toney and Jones are streets ahead of Ward. Toney at his best probably takes Roy out.

[Isaax]

Just look at those performances against the great Barkley, the highly touted Littles and the widely regarded Williams. Barkley he sits in the pocket with, barely gets touched and counters in combination beautifully all night long. Littles he is given one more round against with huge cut, pulls it out the bag. Williams is pressing him hard on the ropes, best one punch right hand knockout ever seen.

That Toney would not lose to anyone. The unmotivated Toney losing 50 pounds in saunas is not the same.

[margaret thatcher]

What was so special about Nunn at 168

[Isaax]

He was still Nunn, smoothest in the game plus long lefty

[bigjack]

Calzaghe scraped past Reid ? yes very close but what about Froch v Dirrell ?

[Isaax]

Dirrell won that on my card and wasn't technically a very good fighter at all, just quite fast

[dookus]

I love the fact that I got to see all of Froch's career. He fought the absolute best in the division for years and beat nearly all of them. He gave everything every time. I think his overall record is up there with the best post-war British fighters. But.

If we're going to look at Calzaghe's record there's plenty to pick at with Froch too. Dirrell was clearly robbed, even if he did fight negatively. Taylor was a fortunate escape (even if it was also amazing to watch). It was a post-prime Kessler who beat Froch, and an even older Kessler carrying a retinal injury who lost to him. Neither version was up there with Calzaghe's opponent.

As tough and old-school as Froch was, and as much respect as he deserves, I have absolutely no doubt Calzaghe would have beaten him pretty easily, and most of the early 90s British legends of that era would be evens at worst with him.

[Isaax]

I don't think Carl stands a prayer with Eubank, Watson or Benn. That kind of primed power/speed/youth with better fundamentals than Dirrell IE Benn and Watson both always came back with another shot if one missed, such was their balance, Benn chin down bobbing and weaving and Watsons gloves brought up fast to cup sides of forehead. Eubank moved head deftly, punched short/compact (apart from the odd cricket throwing right!ha).etc