BoxRec

Froch hits out at TV treatment

If Carl Froch has anything to do with it Jermain Taylor won’t be the only one licking his wounds following their super fight in the U.S. on April 25th. The reigning WBC Super Middleweight champ believes that TV executives on both sides of the Atlantic could also be bitten by the “Cobra”.

As of yet no deal has been reached for British TV to show the fight although BBC Radio 5 Live have realised the significance of the fight and will be broadcasting the fight live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Connecticut. The Showtime TV network will also air the fight across the U.S. but Britain’s only genuine World Champ says that TV’s decision makers could be regretting their stance after the fight.

“This is a massive fight although British TV doesn’t seem to think so,” said Froch. “Unless something can be agreed shortly before the fight it’s going to mean fight fans missing out on seeing one of British boxing’s greatest ever nights and that would be a real shame. The irony is that I could have stayed at home in Nottingham, had a nice easy, first defence and that would have been shown on British TV. That would be the easy option though and I didn’t come all this way to become World Champion and then con the fans.

“When you first put on a pair of gloves as a kid you don’t dream about making routine defences, you dream about putting it all on the line and fighting the best in the world and that’s exactly what I’m doing now. It will be British TV’s loss if this fight isn’t shown because they will miss out on some British sporting history in the making with me going over to the U.S., taking Taylor into the trenches and finish him in style.”

Froch believes that Showtime could be in for a disappointing night too. “They’re going to see a great fight between two fighters at the top of their game but for them it’s going to be the wrong result. Naturally they’re excited about having a marquee name like Taylor fighting on Showtime for the first time.

“I saw a feature they did on the fight at the weekend and they introduced Taylor as one of the greatest fighters of his generation. It might be his place but it’s going to be my time and my generation on April 25th.”

In the piece Taylor dismissed Froch saying, “I’m still trying to figure out who he is. I don’t know much about him, he could be here in the gym today with me and I wouldn’t know who he was.

“He is the champion though so I have to respect that but I’ve watched his tapes and he’s showed me nothing special. He has to be taught how to lose just like I was. Losing to Kelly Pavlik has taught me that hard work and dedication are the only things that pay off.”

Taylor reigned supreme at middleweight dethroning long time champ Bernard Hopkins and defeating him for a second time until defeat to Kelly Pavlik led to him moving up to super middleweight.

“I’m not number one anymore but I know how to take a championship from somebody and that’s what I plan on doing,” said Taylor. “On April 25th I’m going to get in that ring and let it all out. Super Middleweight Champion of the World? I like the ring of that.”

Froch insists that he will not be leaving his belt in the U.S. “This is my chance to prove that not only am I the nest super middleweight in the World but one of the best fighters out there pound for pound. It’s a massive stage for me to make a real statement and I’m not going to disappoint anyone.

“Taylor says he wouldn’t know me if I walked into his gym but trust me if he even saw me in the gym he wouldn’t go ahead with the fight because I’m on fire right now. By the time I’m finished with him on April 25th Jermain Taylor will know exactly who I am and what I’m all about.”

WWW.HENNESSYSPORTS.COM

Froch TV Blackout mystifies Boxing media

It appears that Carl Froch isn’t the only one mystified about the British TV blackout of his WBC Super fight with Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor in the U.S. on April 25th...


The Blackout
Tris Dixon, Boxing News Online

There is no TV, yet, for Carl Froch's WBC title defence against Jermain Taylor. Tris Dixon says now is the time for TV bosses to hang their heads.

In three weeks’ time Carl Froch makes an audacious first defence of his hard-earned WBC super-middleweight world title against American Jermain Taylor.

To read the entire click here: http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/BN08/detail.asp?id=1054

Whilst it should and will be shown on British TV, Froch is seriously deluded.

One of Brtiish boxing's greatest ever nights ? Only when your mouth gets zipped !

One of the best pound for pound ? Yeah in Britain, but no where near on a world scale.

I think Frochy boy, you think you're a little bit better than you actually are.

Hopefully Buncey works his magic asap, I know he's trying.

I'm in no doubt that this will eventually end up on TV somewhere.... ultimately, someone will agree a price.

Have Setanata got the money for it.

Someone is going to pick this up for Brit TV nearer the time, no way they wont show it. I guess the broadcast price will drop as it nears zero hour, and the TV bosses are playing a waiting game.

Still a disgrace they don't jump all over it though, considering the low rent crap they show half the time.

Sounds like Hennessey needs to lower his money demand for the fight.

"Super fight"

?

Please, Taylor will probably retire if he loses this one so it's hardly two men at the absolute peak of their powers is it?

Just a fight to showcase Froch to the yanks more than anything.

That's the problem, they think this fight is bigger than it is.

MightyWarrior wrote:Someone is going to pick this up for Brit TV nearer the time, no way they wont show it. I guess the broadcast price will drop as it nears zero hour, and the TV bosses are playing a waiting game.

Still a disgrace they don't jump all over it though, considering the low rent crap they show half the time.

Well, given the state of the economy, and the fact that ITV and Setanta are in some serious financial trouble, hardly surprising is it?

Looks like Britain isn't backing Froch, and that the wolves are out.

Then at least there'll probably be some delayed coverage, if Froch has done something big.

It is depressing when a fighter is putting it all on the line, right away. We get the comfy establishment fighters like Khan, Cook, Arthur, Macca, shoved down our throats. We complain about how their careers are handled. We scream for ppl to do it the "right way." And there's little chance of seeing Froch v Taylor on live TV. Absolutely sick.

Like Haye, Froch is going for it. I really hope it works out. Just on attitude alone these 2 embarrass most of Britain's so called top fighters.

The Law wrote:Hopefully Buncey works his magic asap, I know he's trying.

yeah, we're just waiting for him to ride in on his white charger and all will be sorted

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

MightyWarrior wrote:Someone is going to pick this up for Brit TV nearer the time, no way they wont show it. I guess the broadcast price will drop as it nears zero hour, and the TV bosses are playing a waiting game.

Still a disgrace they don't jump all over it though, considering the low rent crap they show half the time.

Well, given the state of the economy, and the fact that ITV and Setanta are in some serious financial trouble, hardly surprising is it?

Nope it's not surprising at all, not even sure it's Hennessey who's naming the price, it may be the US broadcasters, whoever that is, showtime?

I've long thought Froch believes he is better than he is but he's proved he is far better than I thought he was! I fancy him to win this and wish more fighters had his attitude. Yes, he may be prone to a bit of hyperbole but he walks the walk and has made a fan out of me. It will be a travesty if this isn't shown.

Given that Setanta and ITV are really struggling atm it's no surprise, disappointing but not surprising. Froch should realise that he is victim of circumstance and not take it as personally as he seems to be. Haye's fight vs Mormeck was picked up at the 11th hour if I remember correctly.

Moral of the story, don't go chasing the most difficult/biggest fights out there. Stay local, scrape your way to a paper title and defend against no marks = guaranteed TV slots and easy money.

Setanta will probs show this. With Froch's lack of notoriety and the fact it'll be shown at daft o'clock I can't see ITV being able to justify buying the rights unfortunately.

Yep spowing shite like the boat race is typical of british tv, they don't have a clue what people actually want to see.

If this fight doesn't get on tv it will be an absolute farce, I mean Sky put on pretty mediocre fare every single Friday night more or less. I am guessing as others have the Hennessey must be asking a fairly high price for the tv rights to this.

It needs sorting out and fast, this fight could be being promoted by whatever channel right now building it up and gaining more prospective viewers. With every day that passes now those chances to promote the fight become less; damaging Froch and damaging the actual value of the tv rights.

If it doesn;t get on UK tv we can all watch a stream, but what a shame it would be that our only proper current world champion doesn't get backed by the UK tv channels.

It's down to the promoter to sort TV out, there is no mystery about it, same thing happened to poor Junior Witter, FW manages to get TV for the likes of Nathan Cleverly, if your promoter can't sort it out for a fight like this Froch should need to consider his options

Coco wrote:It's down to the promoter to sort TV out, there is no mystery about it, same thing happened to poor Junior Witter, FW manages to get TV for the likes of Nathan Cleverly, if your promoter can't sort it out for a fight like this Froch should need to consider his options

Yep media/entertainment is a contacts business, whatever people say about Fwank Warren, he has the contacts and gets his shows on good tv slots.

Its a disgrace!

BIGMARK wrote:This so sad for the sport and although Carl is showing a lot of balls by travelling Stateside for the fight tht decision seems to have shoot Hennessy Sports in the foot because surely if this was a show from Nottingham it would be picked up. The stations like ITV dont want to know as the event is in the middle of the night which is sad and when so much money is pumped into stupid events like the Boat race which recently a source at the BBC told me the money spent on that could pay for 10 live boxing shows and countless pre recorded fights from the US. What we need is the head of BBC sport to big a boxing fan which i believe SHE isnt at the moment.

It's easy to show balls when you're making a mandatory defence.

How do people know TV companies are struggling, are they privy to the finances?? I aint seen anything that said there are probs!! can anyone help?

UMmmmmmm - this mean Hennessy is coming up a BIG brick wall - TV companies are holding out until the very last minute to get it on the cheap.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

MightyWarrior wrote:Someone is going to pick this up for Brit TV nearer the time, no way they wont show it. I guess the broadcast price will drop as it nears zero hour, and the TV bosses are playing a waiting game.

Still a disgrace they don't jump all over it though, considering the low rent crap they show half the time.

Well, given the state of the economy, and the fact that ITV and Setanta are in some serious financial trouble, hardly surprising is it?

Nope but I am willing to bet if Hennessy lowers his asking price to around 50-75k he might get a taker - but it will take as low as that to get any form of bid for the fight - might even have to be lower.

Spud wrote:

jamesmcdonnell wrote:

MightyWarrior wrote:Someone is going to pick this up for Brit TV nearer the time, no way they wont show it. I guess the broadcast price will drop as it nears zero hour, and the TV bosses are playing a waiting game.

Still a disgrace they don't jump all over it though, considering the low rent crap they show half the time.

Well, given the state of the economy, and the fact that ITV and Setanta are in some serious financial trouble, hardly surprising is it?

Nope but I am willing to bet if Hennessy lowers his asking price to around 50-75k he might get a taker - but it will take as low as that to get any form of bid for the fight - might even have to be lower.

I bet the finances for this fight are really crap for the amount of risk Carl is taking going over to America and taking on a good operator like Taylor. I have a lot of respect for Carl for that fact. He probably could have made the same or more money just sitting at home filling out Nottingham Arena against a medium-sized but very-winnable challenger. Come on someone get this on TV, it would be a massive shame, this is one of the biggest fights for a British fighter this year and if it isn't on tv it will show how stinky our tv channels are.

ERIC GUY wrote:How do people know TV companies are struggling, are they privy to the finances?? I aint seen anything that said there are probs!! can anyone help?

There's been a few stories about both: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.ph ... ales.phtml

They have stopped filming some shows to use existing footage (e.g. Heartbeat). Some shows have had to be axed. There was a rumour they were going to stop one of their channels.

There was a Setanta article in the Guardian (I can't find it now). Something about them paying too much for their FA deal and asking shareholders for more money. A Russian billionaire stepped in to help them.