Britain’s Carl Froch will go to the limits to win back the WBC super-middleweight belt against Arthur Abraham in today’s Super Six bout, while Berlin-based Abraham has pledged to send the Brit into early retirement.
The 33-year-old Froch lost his WBC belt to Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler in April on a unanimous decision, but an eye injury has forced Kessler’s withdrawal from the Super Six competition and the Dane has relinquished his belt.
With the title up for grabs at Helsinki’s Hartwall Arena, Froch is ready to do whatever it takes to get it back.
“If that means throwing bombs and breaking ribs then, yeah, I’ll do everything I can to win my belt back,” said Froch, who has 26 wins and 20 knock-outs on his resume compared to Abraham’s 25 knock-outs and 31 wins.
Having fought Kessler in Denmark, the fight was scored 117-111, 115-113, 116-112, all in the Dane’s favour, and Froch is still smarting from the defeat, the only blot on his copybook.
“I plan to come into the ring and win this belt back,” he said. “I don’t think it should have ever been taken away in the first place. I predict I’m going to win by any means necessary on Saturday night.”
Abraham also comes into the fight having suffered the only defeat of his career when he lost to US fighter Andre Dirrell in March.
The Berlin-based fighter said he plans to end Froch’s career, as the Brit said he would consider retiring if he loses, and Abraham has a score to settle.
“I’ll put an end to his career,” the 30-year-old said. “He can plan his retirement after the fight.”
Froch antagonized his opponent in the build up to the fight and his girlfriend — British glamour model Rachel Cordingley — dubbed Abraham “the Midget King.”
Abraham, at 1.78cm is only slightly shorter than his 1.85cm tall opponent and insisted Froch, nicknamed “The Cobra,” was more like a slow-worm.
A defeat for either fighter would be a significant set back.
“This fight is all or nothing for me,” Froch said.
The showdown has twice been postponed, leaving Abraham frustrated after the bout was switched from August before being changed to last month only to be moved again because of venue problems and Froch’s back injury.
Abraham is one of the toughest fighters around: his win on points against Edison Miranda in 2006 came after he had his jaw broken in two places during the bout.
The former IBF middleweight champ says his slight height disadvantage will count for nothing.
“Inside the ring all that matters is to be mentally stable,” said the Armenian-born fighter. “It doesn’t matter [about being] bigger or stronger, just clever. The clever fighter always wins.”
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