Froch says he will ‘beat up’ Golovkin; ponders lucrative fight

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Carl FrochWill Carl Froch make up his mind? After contemplating retirement, vacating his IBF super-middleweight title, and having his WBA title stripped for inactivity, it appears the Nottingham boxer is having second thoughts about hanging up the gloves. Froch is being enticed by one more fight as precarious as it would be financially lucrative.

Gennady Golovkin, the Kazakh superstar and WBA Super World middleweight titleholder, has stated his interest in moving up to 168 lbs. to take on two-time super-middleweight champion Carl Froch at Wembley Stadium.

Froch, who will be a color commentator on Sky Sports’ broadcast of fellow countryman James DeGale’s fight for the vacant IBF super-middleweight title against American Andre Dirrell in Boston on Saturday evening, has announced he would only fight again if a fight can be made which provokes his interest. This could be the fight.

However, Froch also says that he would do the unimaginable and tear Golovkin apart in the ring.

“If I fight Golovkin, I will back up, take what he’s got, and beat him up.”

That’s very interesting. As we revealed in a column the other day, Froch wanted nothing to do with Golovkin a year ago and admitted that he wouldn’t be interested in pursuing a “dangerous” fight against him.

“Just swerve Golovkin like the plague. He punches like a mule. I don’t need to be in with him. Dangerous fight,” Froch said.

Froch’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, has confirmed that the fight is in negotiations, speaking with Daily Mail.

“I’ve now spoken with Carl directly about this and he is interested. I only want him to take if he’s genuinely motivated because it is a high risk-fight,” Hearn said.

Golovkin, who is undefeated in 33 professional fights, has knocked out or stopped his last 20 opponents. His 30th knockout victory, a sixth-round stoppage of Willie Monroe Jr. last Saturday, gives him the highest KO percentage in the history of the middleweight division.

When there’s big money involved, gutsy decisions are made. And, when you think about how Froch managed to get 80,000 people packed into Wembley Stadium to watch him fight George Groves a second time, imagine what he can do with GGG on the other end of the ring.

“It would be massive and we can fill Wembley again. Given Carl’s interest, we have already opened negotiations with Golovkin’s people, and they are very keen,” Hearn added.
Golovkin’s promoter, Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions, spoke with Boxing Scene.

“We’ve already asked for that fight. Gennady put in over 12,000 people in the [Forum], and Froch had 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium last year. There is no question; that would be a tremendous fight. I’ve told Eddie Hearn many times that Gennady would move to 168 and fight [Froch], but Carl is not committed to whether he’s going to fight again or whether he’s going to retire. But, that would be a great fight as well,” Loeffler said.

Initially, Hearn didn’t want Froch to take the fight, describing his fighter as “crazy.”

“Golovkin is the most feared fighter in the world now, and Carl doesn’t need this fight, but he says he is intrigued by how he would with him. He’s crazy that way.”

Froch, who will turn 37 in July, has not fought since stopping George Groves over a year ago in May.

Golovkin is offering a sensational payday to end Froch’s stellar career, but given how things tend to go for his opponents, he could also be offering a chance for Froch to stare up at the ceiling on the canvas for a couple million.