The Cobra promises fireworks in Denmark: “I was born with KO power – I’m ready to rumble”
In one of the most highly anticipated match ups of the Super Six Tournament, Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch (26-0) will defend his WBC title against Mikkel Kessler (42-2) on 24th April 2010 at the MCH Messecenter, Herning, Denmark. The fight will be screened by Primetime TV for British fight fans.
Last night, Showtime (the US TV company behind the tournament) hosted an international telephone conference with the boxers, Froch and Kessler and their promoters, Mick Hennessey and Kalle Sauerland, for the world’s media. Both fighters promise an exciting fight and both promoters agreed that there will be ‘fireworks’.
In an entertaining Q&A, Froch, with his usual deadpan wit, answered all questions with unflinching gravitas, and at opportune junctures in the conversation savaged Joe Calzaghe. The Cobra, who revealed that he “was born with KO power”, also showcased his prowess for verbal KO’s, when an unfortunate reporter unwisely suggested that Froch would need a KO to get a win in Denmark.
Froch, went on to talk about his legacy, assess his attributes and that of his opponent – Kessler. Kessler, who was fielded few questions, promises the return of the ‘real Mikkel Kessler’ and assured the media that he had “learned from his mistakes”. Finally, I asked Mick Hennessy about his expectations of an invasion of British fans to cheer on The Cobra in Denmark, especially with the impact of the change of date to the Froch-Kessler fight.
The Promoters on the Kessler v Froch match-up
Mick Hennessy:
“From the outset when this tournament was put together, Carl Froch versus Mikkel Kessler was the fight that many people were looking for. We all know that styles make fights and we have got two great warriors here, who very rarely take a backwards step. Honest, brilliant pros and I think this has the makings of an absolute classic. Carl ‘The Cobra’ Froch is not only the best super-middleweight on the planet, but the most exciting super-middleweight”.
Kalle Sauerland:
“We are very happy, well not in terms of some of the results with our fighters, but with the way the tournament has gone so far. On April 24th we are going to see fireworks in the ring. Yesterday, I made a surprise visit to watch Mikkel in training and what I saw was very very encouraging. We all know what Mikkel is capable of, and I am sure that on the 24th April that he is the still the man to beat in this tournament.”
Mikkel Kessler on his comeback from the loss to Andre Ward:
“You learn from your mistakes. I wasn’t the same Kessler in the last fight. I have seen it a dozen times and I can’t recognise myself, so I am looking forward to fighting Carl Froch and I am more than ready.
“Of course it is a big opportunity again. I had a loss against Calzaghe once and the fight after I had to fight for the WBA again, and I won. I just went right back to the boxing school after my last fight. I am looking forward to my big opportunity to get into the Super Six again and show all my boxing fans that I am a the best."
And any changes to Kessler’s approach in the ring? “I have to change a lot, of course. I cannot reveal that now, but I have to change a lot of tactics."
Carl was asked to comment on how he feels Kessler’s loss has affected him: “Only Mikkel will know how it affects him inside when his head hits the pillow at night when he goes to sleep."
Froch’s thoughts on fighting Kessler:
“It is good to fight a proud man like Kessler. I have already established myself on world-class level, I have already proved that by beating Pascal, Taylor and Dirrell. We all seen what Andre Dirrell did to Arthur Abraham, so I think I am already firmed established as a world class fighter and I am a reigning and defending champion. I don’t need to give myself any accolades, as it is already there, but to fight someone like Mikkel Kessler, it just cement my superstardom. I have got to do the job – I know I can do."
Froch, commenting on the prospect of facing Kessler in comparison to the Dirrell fight:
“This is a totally different fight to Andre Dirrell, there will be no resemblance to the Kessler fight. Kessler doesn’t run or hold, he can box and move, so can I, we are expecting fireworks”.
Froch – savages a reporter, Calzaghe and has no problem ‘KO-ing a friend’!
Kessler and Froch, appear to have a mutual respect and neither man feels there is a need to engage in verbal warfare. One reporter picked up on this asked Froch if his apparent ‘friendship’ with Kessler will pose any problems when they face each other in the ring. Froch hardly needed to think, before he retorted:
“Of course not. I have boxed friends before. I boxed a guy called Damon Hague, for the British title in 2004 and I almost decapitated him in the first round and I won the fight on a KO. One week later I was round his house having dinner with him. That is not a problem – I can assure you."
When asked what makes him a better fighter than Kessler, Froch answered before the reporter got to the end of the sentence: “Faster, stronger, quicker, the champion, undefeated, taller, longer range, more elusive. That’s it. There’s your answer.”
The same reporter then, unwisely, asked The Cobra if he felt that by fighting Kessler, who is on home ground, would he need to knock him out to bring the WBC belt back to England! Froch’s earlier relaxed, confidence tone, was unmistakably laced with irritable menace:
“What are you suggesting? ….that I can’t win a decision because it is in Denmark – because that would be cheating. I don’t understand the concept of the question."
The reporter tried to defuse matters and began: “I am not trying to suggest anything…but…”
Froch cut in: “To answer your question. No I don’t think I will need a KO. I will look for a KO, because I am a big puncher, if the KO comes – it comes, but I don’t feel that I need a KO to win. I am the WBC champion. It is an honourable title. It is an honourable governing body and I don’t go into a fight EXPECTING to have to knock someone out.
“So, I am not happy with that question and I think it is a poor comment – unless you consider the fact that I am going to Denmark to be a negative thing and if you are suggesting that I can’t win on points over there – which you are doing then you are opening yourself open to all sorts…”
Does Froch feel that his fight with Kessler is the greatest match of his career so far?
“Probably not. It is a great defence of my title but I think the greatest match was defending my title (against Taylor). Winning the title against Pascal was a night I will never fighting for the vacant title after Joe Calzaghe vacated, because Joe Calzaghe knew what everybody else knew, that if he fights me he is going to get knocked out.
“So he decided to vacate the title. But, beating Pascal to win the title was a very memorable night for me – it was a big night. Jean Pascal has gone on to be the WBC light-heavyweight champion and defended it – so he has proved that he is at that level.
“A very big fight was defending against Jermain Taylor, travelling away from England to a forest in the middle of Connecticut to defend my title against a fighter like Taylor, who was at a new weight division on a new high, just after beating Jeff Lacy, the guy that Joe Calzaghe got such a big credit for beating, and I was challenging him at a new weight division and his new found confidence.”
“I came through a sticky patch in round three and came through and absolutely annihilated him in the last three rounds. What’s gone to top that? Moving up a weight and winning a title or winning the Super Six. I think that would be a more defining fight than winning this one or my previous one. Don’t get me wrong, it is a big fight with Mikkel Kessler."
Froch revealed that for last night’s episode (5) of 360 (aired in the US and available on Showtime’s website), the Showtime camera crew spent three days with the Cobra in Sheffield.
“I enjoyed the experience, although not in the sense that I would have like to do again next week, but Showtime camera crew were gentlemen and they don’t do anything without asking."
Carl was then asked about his 100% record:
“An unblemished record is important, that air of invincibility feeling that I have got – goes into the other fighters mind. So, the unbeaten record is important, but so too is my KO% as I am proud of both."
And, after the date change, the likelihood of a Brit invasion in Herning?
I asked Mick Hennessy how many British fans he expected to travel over to Denmark to roar on The Cobra.
“I have no idea. The date change has caused a hell of a lot of problems. We will be released an extra allocation of tickets next week."
It was confirmed to me that there is a total of 2000 tickets allocated for The Cobra’s Brit fans and an estimation that approximately 5-8% of fans in attendance will be Froch fans.
Kalle Sauerland added that he expected a late surge of British fans, revealing:
“In the last week, prior to the Haye-Valuev fight, we sold 500 tickets and there were approximately 4000 British fans without tickets.”
We were told that the Froch-Kessler fight is huge in Denmark and is expected to be even bigger than the Tyson-Nielsen fight in Copenhagen in 2001.
I asked Froch, how important it is to have a strong invasion of British fans to support him in Denmark:
“It is nice, personally I don’t need that support to bring out the best in me – but it’s nice to have it – a great plus. Although when the bell goes I don’t hear anything anyway, I am just concentrating on landing devastating punches."
Froch, who plans to arrive in Denmark one week prior to the fight, was asked how he feels about boxing abroad:
“I am not fazed by travelling and boxing abroad. A boxing ring is a boxing ring – no matter where it is.”
Closing Comments:
Carl Froch:
“I think the Super Six is a fantastic tournament, it has been well received in the US, in the UK we have not got the opportunity to get on mainstream TV, but Primetime are airing it. I’m excited, I’m looking forward to it – ready to rumble.”
Mick Hennessy
“I hope that Carl finally gets the accolades and credit that he deserves, we have great fighters in the UK, but Carl is the by far the best in the UK – he is the complete package.
“Dirrell, who is a like a southpaw Sugar Ray Leonard, outboxed Arthur Abraham, Carl out boxed Dirrell and beat him. He can box, fight, has a granite chin and can knock you out – he is the complete package and people need to start acknowledging this and give him the credit he deserves."
Kessler:
“It is nice not to be the favourite in the tournament. I feel the hunger again, I am looking forward to fighting Froch. I am more than ready and do not underestimate me. I am very sharp, I learned my lesson (from the Ward fight), this time I will show my fans in my hometown that I am still the best super-middleweight in the world.
