Carl Froch Thinks He'll Win Super Six

Boxing Fanhouse.com Lem Satterfield27th October, 2009

In a wide-ranging interview, the outspoken and talented Englishman, who is 26-0 with 20 knockouts, says why he thought Andre Dirrell was "scared" in their Oct. 17 fight, why he believes Dirrell will defeat Germany's Arthur Abraham and why he will defeat WBA champ Mikkel Kessler.

Read what Froch had to say during this Q&A after the jump.

FanHouse: On the night of the fight with Andre Dirrell following your knockout of Jermain Taylor, and your decision over previously unbeaten current WBC light heavyweight champ, Jean Pascal, did you feel that you needed to take your stock to another level for your home crowd at the Trent FM Arena?

Carl Froch: I didn't consider myself to be fighting under any pressure. I didn't see there to be any expectations. At the end of the day, I'm a consummate professional, defending my title for the second time in my 26th professional fight.

I've been at the Trent FM Arena 13 times. Pressure, I welcome it when it comes. I didn't feel that there was any pressure. As far as expectations go, I've proven myself at world class level. I just went out there and fought my fight and did all that I had to do to beat a guy who was very negative.

FH: What were your impressions of Dirrell?

Froch: To be honest, I was disappointed in Dirrell. I thought that he had more in the tank and could have done a lot more, but he was scared -- scared of getting hit, scared of the power that I possess. I clipped him early on, and he felt my physical strength.

I think that once he felt that, he adopted the hit-and-run tactics and tried to keep out of harm's way and to keep it safe. I was disappointed. That was very negative. But at the end of the day, I didn't fall into his trap, which would have been to steam in swinging and trying to knock him out.

But he was very, very fast, Dirrell. I had to step back, waited. It was an easy night's work. I could have gone 20 rounds at that pace. An easy night's work. I could have done 25 rounds at that pace.

I've never gone home after a fight and not had to ice my hands or ice elbows or favor a sore eye. It was literally like a steady sparring session. It was a bit disappointing as well, because I had a big crowd there and they wanted to see a fight.

FH: Do you feel like you did exactly what you needed to do, physically, in trying to catch up with Dirrell -- roughing up the young guy and using veteran experience to catch a man who wouldn't stand in front of you?

Froch: Definitely. I was disappointed for the fans, not for myself. I'm still a champion. I defended my title successfully. I still get paid, I've still got the belt, and I've got two points for the Super Six Tournament. So I'm a happy, happy man.

But I was disappointed for the fans. The manner in which he was fighting, as soon as I closed the gap, or got him within hand's reach so that I could manhandle him, I did that. I felt like I needed to do that. Yeah, I did. I had to make that happen.

FH: How validating was this victory for you?

Froch: I was satisfied that I was able to fight somebody who was boxing and moving. None of the commentators on British television seemed to notice it, but I managed to get my defense tight. I had a good defense and a good guard when I needed it.

I was able to out-box a boxer and to beat him at his own game. Especially over in America, where they've seen me against Pascal and they've seen me against Jermain Taylor. They called me a beast, and an Arturo Gatti-type of fighter.

Against Dirrell, I was able to show my skills and my ability to adapt in terms of not just coming forward and swinging big shots and landing heavy digs and going into the trenches.

I was able to box a little and to block shots and to show a different side to my style than what was previously shown.

So I was happy with that, and the crowd and the fans acknowledged that. It was quite a knowledgeable crowd in Nottingham. So in that sense, I really enjoyed it. It was world class boxing. There were a few people who were disappointed that it wasn't like the Pascal fight -- toe-to-toe for 12 rounds of guerilla warfare.

But the people who know boxing knew that it wasn't going to happen like with Dirrell's negativity. Let's not forget, Dirrell's a good fighter. He's got fast hands and he knows his way around the ring. He's healthy and he's young and he's got all of these things in his favor.

If you add that to the way he fought, with his speed, and his reflexes, and he's going to be negative with that, then he can run away for 20, 25 rounds, and keep running, and keep running. No man in the world can catch up with him and catch him with a shot.

FH: Is there anything that you learned that you need improvement on?

Froch: There's always room for improvement. When I watch the tape, in rounds 10, 11 and 12, I noticed that Dirrell was really, really hanging on there. And he was fighting back a little bit more later on, and he had a couple of good rounds later on.

I was being a little bit lazy myself, waiting for him. He held on to me, clinging to me, stopped me from working. Now, when he did his work, I should have done my work and fought straight back at him. I got into switching off a little bit, mentally, later on.

FH: Were you frustrated by Dirrell's tactics?

Froch: I was sick of him running and holding and nothing happening, so later on, I just thought, 'You know what? Let's just get through this. I'll keep boxing him and moving.'

I wish that, looking back at it, I would have really put the pressure on him and thrown a lot more shots and roughed him up even more later on. But you've got to be careful because the referees will only take so much roughing up before they'll start deducting points.

So, looking back in hindsight, I wish I'd have put it on him. But I was told, by my cornerman, who I listen to, to box and to keep doing what I was doing, so I did. If he'd have told me to go out there and try and stop him and knock him out, I'd would have gone out there and started swinging and really teed off on him and tried to do some damage.

I had the fuel left in the tank. It was like I said -- an easy night's work for me, physically. But I did what I needed to do, and that was a professional job.

FH: Do you feel like there was a clear separation between where you are at this point in your career and where Andre Dirrell is?

Froch: Definitely, the separation was there. It was almost like a boy versus a man in there. An amateur versus a professional. And I'm the professional. I'm the man.

And as far as I'm concerned, the best man won. It's as simple as that. You could see that it was the consummate professional and you could see that he was the one coming through.

FH: How do you see Dirrell-Arthur Abraham shaping up?

Froch: I think Arthur Abraham is going to really struggle with him. I think Dirrell outboxes Abraham. Abraham's tough and strong, but I think Dirrell will beat him and then people will realize what a good job I did against Dirrell.

FH: What are the chances that you could fight Mikkel Kessler in that large, soccer stadium that you mention in the Super Six reality series?

Froch: It's the Nottingham Forrest Stadium. It's not been done yet. We're still negotiating the location of my next fight.

But I'd really like it to be at Nottingham Forrest football grounds, because it's my hometown, and it's a club that I've been a season ticket holder for for the last five years.

I'm an avid Forrest fan, and for me to box in a stadium that can seat 45,000 or 50,000, in my home city, I think that the reason why speaks for itself. That would be the pennacle for me. There's nowhere else that I could fight that would have that sort of fanbase for me.

FH: Who is going to win between Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward on Nov. 21?

Froch: I've not seen enough of Andre Ward to know exactly what's going to happen in that fight, but I've got a feeling that Kessler will beat him. He's too experienced for him.

FH: What are the chances that you would come to America and watch the Kessler-Ward fight in Oakland, Calif. from ringside?

Froch: There's no chance of that, actually. Unfortunately, I'm going to be sunbathing in Cuba.

FH: How is your fight with Kessler going to go?

Froch: I think it will be a great fight. I think it will be a fight between two warriors. I think I could catch him early and knock him out, or I could outbox him. It just depends what style he adopts.

If he comes to fight, then the crowd is in for a humdinger, and the fans are in for a real treat. If he boxes and moves, then I'll box and move with him. It's a hard one to call, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to beat him.

FH: Do you feel like you were underestimated and unknown before the tournament, which many still believe that either Kessler or Arthur Abraham will win?

Froch: Carl Froch is going to win, that's what I feel. It's as simple as that.