Former 168lb titlist Carl “The Cobra” Froch (33-2, 24KOs), who won four world titles throughout his pro career, is calling it a career after announcing his retirement early Tuesday morning. Rumors began circulating ever since the conclusion of his last bout in May of 2014 and Froch out right admitted on a few occasions since then that he was contemplating retirement. Although some assumed it was a way of putting the pressure on the fighters that offered the biggest paydays possible.
In fact, rumors began swirling last month that a possible showdown between Froch and middleweight knockout artist Gennady “GGG” Golovkin were being discussed, and both camps confirmed a semi-virtual negotiation. Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing made it a point to bring up the possibility of retirement in almost every interview pertaining to the theoretical negotiations.
Well, it is pretty clear that the fight isn’t happening, even though few took it seriously from the beginning. Still, it is disappointing that we won’t get that fight, and it is even more disappointing that we will never see Froch again unless he comes out of retirement.
The idea of never seeing Froch again might not sink in until you realize what it is that boxing is losing, exactly.
For one, Froch was still at the top of his game, even though he recently turned 38. He was a top 10 pound for pound fighter on a lot of credible lists, and he was definitely a bubble guy on everyone else’s.
Another huge loss is the fights we won’t get to see Froch in with other possible opponents, especially those that he never faced. We spoke about the aforementioned Golovkin, which is probably the best fight he’s walking away from, at least in most fans’ minds, but there are plenty others.
I still wanted to see him in the ring with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The two almost came to terms when Chavez Jr. was still with Top Rank and HBO, but it never came to fruition. There was still an opportunity to build the match up into something, even with Chavez Jr.’s recent foul up against Andrzej Fonfara.
James DeGale represented a huge fight overseas for both men, and it would’ve been an incredible matchup for any fan of boxing. That was probably one of the biggest fights in the U.K. outside Amir Khan and Kell Brook.
The possibility of him testing himself at light heavyweight was remote, but the potential for serious money was there for anyone including Adonis Stevenson and Sergey Kovalev but not limited to a rematch with Andre Ward (HBO would buy it in a second).
Before mentioning the most significant disappointment that comes from Froch hanging up his gloves, I’ll throw in a small cheap one that some American fans (and probably a lot of UK fans) might not care much about and that is Froch getting the opportunity to fight in Las Vegas. Froch mentioned that he wanted to fight in Vegas before retiring, and the sentiment grew more and more as potential fights loomed.
Now, he won’t get that chance. Furthermore, he won’t get the opportunity to give us the acknowledgment of one final fight. I’m not a fighter, but it has to be a bit disappointing to be unaware of your own last fight. To savor the moment, to relish in every single press event, and to bask in the victory lap that is your walk out to the ring and final post-fight presser is nostalgic to more than just the adoring fans of a particular fighter. But Froch will have to digress.
Okay, so the biggest reason we should all be disappointed with Froch retiring is that he always made exciting fights. Perhaps people will point out the few duds he had, namely his Super Six tournament finale with Ward, but there are far fewer misses than there are spectacles in the Froch resume.
This man put it all on the line and treated fans of all nationalities to entertaining fights, and in many ways he is the last of a dying breed. He was a real prize fighter. He was the kind of fighter that showed up to win, but also the kind that showed up to show out. It is this I will miss of Froch most of all, and when I think of all the really bad and boring “big fights” I’ve seen recently and will continue to see, I think to myself maybe we’ll get one more out of “The Cobra.”
