Carl Froch's dilemma

The Guardian Kevin Mitchell26th June, 2009

There could be developments soon in the career of Carl Froch, who has been as quiet as a cobra since he won the world super-middleweight title. He is desperate to make the last couple of years of his career memorable and wants to fight the best on the biggest stage. So far, nothing much is happening.

His division seems to have gone into snooze mode as promoters in America struggle to put together fights to excite a sceptical audience. Kelly Pavlik is seen as some sort of saviour at and around 12st because of his fanbase but he has been having a nightmare time, fending off allegations from the ever-mischievous and entertaining Pedro Fernández, the self-proclaimed "undisputed king of the airwaves", that he had to go into rehab for a drink problem.

Pavlik says it is nonsense. Whatever is going on, he needs to get back in the ring and make the most of his time at the top. So does Froch. If the Nottingham man can't get Bernard Hopkins (who did such a masterful job on Pavlik), he should start hunting down the exciting but fragile young man from Youngstown, Ohio, before someone else gets to him.

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