Fighting Hopkins would be as close as Carl Froch could get to Calzaghe

The Guardian Kevin Mitchell8th June, 2009

Carl Froch says he would rather defend his shiny new World Boxing Council super-middlweight title against Bernard Hopkins than the International Boxing Federation champion Lucian Bute. This, at first glance, seems odd but it makes sense.

Bute is the easier option, even though Hopkins is 44 and surely ready to be retired by one sound thrashing. But neither opponent is a ticket-seller (despite The Executioner's self-delusion). So why would the Nottingham champion prefer to risk embarrassment against an old man rather than take on a live if lesser challenger?

Because Hopkins came desperately close to beating Joe Calzaghe. Froch says he has scratched that itch over a fight with Joe, but I don't think so. He is a fiercely proud man and reckons Calzaghe never gave him the recognition he deserved before retiring after beating Roy Jones Jnr on his seniors farewell tour.

Calzaghe, almost certainly, will never box again. He's tired. He's been doing it since he was a kid and he's enjoying his retirement. So Froch wants the next best option: the guy who nearly beat Joe. If he can knock the American out - in the United States in September - it will be as close to vindication as he can get without landing a blow on Joe.

If he were to do a number on Hopkins - and I think he would - he would be able to wave the win in front of Calzaghe knowing that, now, there was nothing the Welshman could do or say to Froch about his credentials.

More often than not, in boxing it is about pride, and that can come in curious ways.

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