BoxRec

There is some speculation that Carl Froch may box Rubin Williams.

If this is the opponent - sorry but whilst I am convinced Froch goes all the way to the top its not the sort of fight I want to see "World Class" Froch in at this stage of his career and at a time when Hennessy needs to impress the executives at ITV to secure a contract.

I will be dissapointed for Froch if it is Williams - First Witter and now Froch no one wants to fight them - either that or opponents do not want to do business with the promoter? - I would find the later very surprising Hennessy whilst he is a hard negoitiator - I always thought he paid top dollar for opponents.

Looks like Berrio and Mendy wouldn't go for it sadly.

I wouldnt have minded seeing Lacy or Sartison in there opposite Froch.

If you make good offers and people don't want to fight, there is not much you can do.

DG. wrote:If you make good offers and people don't want to fight, there is not much you can do.

Why do you put 9/10 lines extra into your posts DG?

MatthewS wrote:

DG. wrote:If you make good offers and people don't want to fight, there is not much you can do.

Why do you put 9/10 lines extra into your posts DG?

I have no idea what you mean?

He has a world title fight for sure later this year. he is not gonna take risks having been made WBC mandatory

yeh but a bad fight is a bad fight which is what that would be. Still a cracking bill and any activity to keep active would be good for froch I guess but he needs that title shot soon.

Fight News are saying it is definitely Williams.

Shame that the fight with Berrio didn't happen, that would have been a decent test for Carl.

Fernzy wrote:Shame that the fight with Berrio didn't happen, that would have been a decent test for Carl.

A guy pulls out what can you do!

I put the article up on Livefight first thing this morning.

Froch is a bit fed up with finally having his own unbeaten, highly ranked opponent in Inkin drop out. Denis was a scalp to call his own - instead of fighting other people's leftovers and proving his worth by beating them quicker, here we had a guy who hadn't been beaten and was highly regarded in the rankings.

Obviously we all know Inkin's arse fell out, he didn't fancy coming over to get knocked out and will go a different route to a title - prob the crappy WBO route to match his stablemates Sergiy and Zsolt.

However the other bummer in all this is Berrio.

He wanted to fill the void left by Inkin in March, but Denis issued a statement saying he really wanted the fight and the WBC gave him the benefit of the doubt.

When inkin bombed out, the WBC made Carl the mandatory regardless, which basically paved the way for Berrio as no permissions were being sort after now.

Berrio was due to get a HUGE payday to step in a save the show - but after excitedly accepting the offer Mick Hennessy had grafted together for them verbally, the little tinker disappeared off the face of the earth. They tried in vain via fax, email and telephone but could not get in touch with him or his team. They had ducked the offer.

Jean-Paul Mendy (who Froch beat in the amateurs) and Kingsley Ikeke both considered and turned down the opportunity.

Finally Rubin Williams, who had been sparring with Lucian Bute took up the opportunity.

Carl at this point is just happy that at least someone has stepped up - he gets to fight on ITV and gets paid. None of this is Hennessy's fault, he has broke his arse getting a super middleweight in for Froch.

It would seem Berrio is just another joker like Inkin.

Well all being well I'm sure Froch can get a chance to fight those guys too.

A bit of a farce really - Williams was stopped on a cut 6 weeks ago - Hows that going to be holding up after a few punches on it.

Yes I know Froch hasn't got much choice in the matter, but what a let down.

Apparently the Bute sparring was April not May by the way (bute hurt his knee)

G0mez wrote:I put the article up on Livefight first thing this morning.

Froch is a bit fed up with finally having his own unbeaten, highly ranked opponent in Inkin drop out. Denis was a scalp to call his own - instead of fighting other people's leftovers and proving his worth by beating them quicker, here we had a guy who hadn't been beaten and was highly regarded in the rankings.

Obviously we all know Inkin's arse fell out, he didn't fancy coming over to get knocked out and will go a different route to a title - prob the crappy WBO route to match his stablemates Sergiy and Zsolt.

However the other bummer in all this is Berrio.

He wanted to fill the void left by Inkin in March, but Denis issued a statement saying he really wanted the fight and the WBC gave him the benefit of the doubt.

When inkin bombed out, the WBC made Carl the mandatory regardless, which basically paved the way for Berrio as no permissions were being sort after now.

Berrio was due to get a HUGE payday to step in a save the show - but after excitedly accepting the offer Mick Hennessy had grafted together for them verbally, the little tinker disappeared off the face of the earth. They tried in vain via fax, email and telephone but could not get in touch with him or his team. They had ducked the offer.

Jean-Paul Mendy (who Froch beat in the amateurs) and Kingsley Ikeke both considered and turned down the opportunity.

Finally Rubin Williams, who had been sparring with Lucian Bute took up the opportunity.

Carl at this point is just happy that at least someone has stepped up - he gets to fight on ITV and gets paid. None of this is Hennessy's fault, he has broke his arse getting a super middleweight in for Froch.

It would seem Berrio is just another joker like Inkin.

I don't think anyone is blaming Meaty Mick for this - my original post at the top of this thread highlights something which I believe is going on - although world boxing can be perceived as being BIG in reality shall we say it is like a small family.

I highlight the above because - Hennessy has Witter who shall I remind you is the WBC Light Welterweight Champion Of The World - Hennessy has found it very difficult to get "named" opponents for him.

Hennessy also has Carl Froch who is in my opinion the best Super Middleweight in the world once Calzaghe finally vacates all of his titles - I concede however if Froch were to fight Kessler - that would be one hell of a close fight - but lets get back to my point - Hennessy is also finding it very difficult indeed to find fights for him too.

Hennessy has an ITV contract for this show so there is more money on the table for opponents - so whats the difficulty in finding people for Witter and Froch? - before Hennessy signed up Bradley who very few people had heard of Witter made it quite plain he would fight any Light Welterweight in the world - no one stepped up - Froch now has the same problem with Super Middleweights.

What I am saying is - what the f*ck is the problem?

I will repeat I will be stunned if it is the promoter who is the problem - Meaty Mick pays top dollar for opponents and although is a hard negoitiator he is pleasant to deal with until you cross him - so if it isn't him that is being black balled - why on earth would opponents want to do that to Witter and Froch?

Witter - no one really wants to fight him when there's a potential Hatton payday out there or when there's other titles with more beatable foes.

Froch - there is something weird going on and I feel more than 1 promoter (Universum) has got it in for him. However this should have no bearing on guys like Ikeke, Berrio, Mendy and co unless they all want to find an easier vacated title out there.

It seems today's boxing is just so fvcked up that no one wants to risk a 50-50 fight to get close to a world title. I mean, beating Froch would get either of those guys a vacant WBC title in all likeliness.

It's a shame if Mick H is offering good money and no options to make sure a good replacement comes in. Other promoters would be content to make shit fights offering poor money and options to whatever poor bastard gets called in late notice!

Less than a week from fight nightwhat else can you expect why would a top contender step up and risk his own hard work when he's not fully fit or propared for a fight.

Yeah but wasn't it at least 2 weeks before the fight when Inkin pulled out. Some guys would be overweight and out of shape while others would be in shape and should jump at the chance to better their career.

If they had an agreement with Berrio, if Berrio had been trainig on the chance that he would get called in, and if Berrio then ignores the call, it's a shame and it reflects badly on Berrio.

Froch will most likely be WBC champ and when some of these jokers actually want to fight him I hope he tells them to fvck off.

Not Hennesey's fault if nobody will step upto to the plate, and to be fair i don't think the world class guys that have turned the fight down can be blamed either really.....Coming into a fight against the WBC No.1 contender on late notice just wouldn't be wise and could effecitively end the world title aspirations of many of these guys.

Credit to Williams for stepping in at late notice so at least Froch gets someone to fight, and in all honesty Williams might provide a more pleasing opponent to the casual fan ITV viewing audience than the cagey Inkin anyway. The hardcore know Williams isn't on the level of Inkin etc, but the casual fan wouldn't have a clue either way and are just tuning into see a fight. At least the style of Williams seems suited to give Froch an impressive win on primetime TV.

lurkyshaka wrote:Not Hennesey's fault if nobody will step upto to the plate, and to be fair i don't think the world class guys that have turned the fight down can be blamed either really.....Coming into a fight against the WBC No.1 contender on late notice just wouldn't be wise and could effecitively end the world title aspirations of many of these guys.

Credit to Williams for stepping in at late notice so at least Froch gets someone to fight, and in all honesty Williams might provide a more pleasing opponent to the casual fan ITV viewing audience than the cagey Inkin anyway. The hardcore know Williams isn't on the level of Inkin etc, but the casual fan wouldn't have a clue either way and are just tuning into see a fight. At least the style of Williams seems suited to give Froch an impressive win on primetime TV.

Inkin's a pretty aggressive fighter though.

Autobarn wrote:

lurkyshaka wrote:Not Hennesey's fault if nobody will step upto to the plate, and to be fair i don't think the world class guys that have turned the fight down can be blamed either really.....Coming into a fight against the WBC No.1 contender on late notice just wouldn't be wise and could effecitively end the world title aspirations of many of these guys.

Credit to Williams for stepping in at late notice so at least Froch gets someone to fight, and in all honesty Williams might provide a more pleasing opponent to the casual fan ITV viewing audience than the cagey Inkin anyway. The hardcore know Williams isn't on the level of Inkin etc, but the casual fan wouldn't have a clue either way and are just tuning into see a fight. At least the style of Williams seems suited to give Froch an impressive win on primetime TV.

Inkin's a pretty aggressive fighter though.

He wouldn't have been against Froch. Im sure he'd have been tight and rigid. It was a meaningful fight between world class contenders, but it wasn't a fight that really got anyone excited.
Williams will at least come out swinging and provide Froch an easy target to tee off on. It won't be as significant a win as a win over Inkin would have been, but to the casual ITV audience im sure it'll go down well and probably better than the Inkin fight would have done.

If Froch hadn't got the No.1 ranking because the fight with Inkin fell through then id be gutted for him....but seeing as he's still been made WBC No.1 then i don't think any harms been done really.

Rubin "Hollywood" Williams is a serious opponent, being a former world champion...of the IBU variety

In all seriousness, there isn't much else you can do in situations like this. Inkin withdrew, Berrio was apparently messing things around and so when someone like Williams throws his name into the hat, you take it.

Other options would have been Froch withdrawing completely from the card and who does that benefit? The fans miss out and he doesn't get a run out at all, more inactivity is no good for Froch at this stage. Plus, if he blows out Williams in about 5 rounds (which i think he will) then ITV might be impressed and give him another screening somewhere down the line.

I reckon Fwank is behind it all!


Allegedly.

Ikeke, Mendy - where are these guys going? They're decent fighters but look to be going nowhere. At best they'll get called in to fight Lucian Bute for the IBF title or something like that - IF they're lucky. (and if it isn't mandatory for the champ to face then, you can bet their promoter will offer bad terms - i.e. shit money and options). I'm thinking any of those guys could've got a good deal to face Froch.

Inkin is a nice controlled aggressive fighter. Always fights coming forward in textbook style. Sharp, short punches. Would've been a great blend of style vs Froch and a lot of ppl were excited about an even-looking bout between offensive-minded super middles. Big loss, that this fight won't happen.