Carl Froch: Is British Recognition Finally Here?

The lack of British publicity for Carl Froch over the past few years has been a crime.

The blame for this has to sit squarely on the shoulders of his former promoter Mick Hennessy. In fact the word promoter may be giving Mick too much credit. Froch goes into tomorrow's fight with Glen Johnson as not just one of Britain's best fighters, but one of its best to watch.

His last five opponents have all been legitimate top-class fighters and Johnson is no different; yet Hennessy has done no justice to his man. After an exhilarating fight with Jean Pascal live on ITV, Hennessy failed to take advantage and secure him any British TV deal for the Jermain Taylor fight. His first fight of the Super Six with Andre Dirrell was eventually placed on the unheard of pay-per view channel Primetime.

Now with Froch free of Hennessy he will be fighting on Sky, the network that has recently made stars out of David Haye and Amir Khan. The audience should not be disappointed. This bout has the potential to be a repeat of the barnstormers against Pascal and Taylor.

Froch goes in favourite against a man in the twilight of his career, but Johnson's eighth round KO of Allan Green in his last fight suggests there's life in the old dog yet. His unrelenting pressure punching should lend itself to a TV friendly fight, with Froch no stranger to a good brawl.

I predict a strong start for Johnson, ceaselessly advancing and outworking his younger opponent. Then with Froch using his reach and greater technical skill to utilise the jab in the second half of the fight, Johnson will start to tire, and the fight ending with a late stoppage and the Cobra's arm being raised.

For years now, high-profile bouts involving British fighters have turned out to be massive anti-climaxes—whether it's Hatton vs. Mayweather, Calzaghe vs. Hopkins, or God forbid... Haye vs. Harrison.

While in the background Froch has had a fight of the year candidate with Pascal, a dramatic last round KO of Jermain Taylor, highly competitive bouts with Dirrell and Kessler and put on a technical clinic against Arthur Abraham.

With a Sky Sports audience watching tomorrow, here's hoping that he supplies more of the same.