Carl Froch interview: Eubank JR has ‘no ambition’ to become a world champion

Speaking exclusively to Coinpoker.com, former boxing world champion Carl Froch previews the much anticipated October 12th card in Riyadh.

Froch also lays into Eubank JR, calling out the active fighter’s lack of ambition to be a World Champion.

Highlights:

• Eubank JR has ‘no ambition to become a bonafide world champion.’
• Frank Warren needs to retire

October 12th Predictions

Q: Eubank Jr. next fights on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol. Bit of an underwhelming match?

Carl Froch: “It’ll just be another knockover fight, won’t it?

It’ll be a glorified sparring session just to get him back in the ring after his year layoff, which is the problem with Chris Eubank Jr, what is he, 34-years-old? He’s having a year out of the ring at a time. I don’t think he’s got any ambition to become an actual bonafide world champion.

I think Chris Eubank Jr just wants to make money and that’s it. If pro boxing is not for you, that’s fine. I get it. It’s a tough sport and it’s a lifestyle and you’ve got to be 100 percent committed and dedicated – and Chris Eubank Jr isn’t.

He still wants to fight, so let’s see him get in there and build himself now and have a good finish to his career. He’s 34-years-old, he’s fighting this guy whose name we can’t pronounce, no disrespect to the geezer – but he’s a nobody in the boxing world, so it’s another gimme for Eubank. After that, what’s he going to do? He’s calling Canelo [Alvarez] out, but I don’t know if he’s big enough. Canelo’s now a complainant at super middleweight and he’s a real strong force at that weight.”

Q: Prediction and fight breakdown for Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke 2?

Carl Froch: “I thought Frazer Clarke probably did enough to win but [Fabio] Wardley came into it, but he got his nose smashed early doors.

That was really hindering for him. I know what it’s like to get your nose broke in the first part of a fight, or break your hand, and the blood’s going down the back of your throat, and you’re struggling to breathe, and you’re thinking, oh, if I get another one on the end of the nose, what’s going to happen now? Is it going to move to the other side of my face? It’s not nice thinking about an injury to your face when you’re trying to fight, or if your hand is broken. Fabio Wardley got through that, so if he doesn’t get clocked in the nose this time, he’ll be able to move a little bit more.

The fight is going to be won before the fight and what I mean by that is, who wants it more? Not so much psychology, because that can go out the window during the fight after two or three rounds of getting hit in the face.

Obviously Frazer Clarke has got more experience, he’s a top amateur, he’s an Olympic bronze medallist I think. Fabio Wardley comes from a white collar background so he’s kind of playing at pro game and he’s ended up being quite gifted and skillful, timing wise and skillset wise, he’s good. The first fight was close, so it’s down to who’s fit enough and who’s put that work and that dedication in at the gym. Who has got up in the morning and gone out when it’s raining, who has done that extra round of sparring, who has done extra strength and conditioning sessions? That’s going to be the deciding factor.

It’ll be a great fight, I think it’ll be close again. It’s a good match-up because Wardley moves and tries to box, but Frazer Clark cuts the rail off and forces him to have a fight. It’s just a good fight, one I’m looking forward to. It should be in Britain, the British title should be in Britain, but if it’s out there in Saudi Arabia they’re getting paid better so fair play to them.”

Q: Do you think boxing will eventually go with the kind of UFC model contracts, contracts with fighters?

Carl Froch: “Potentially. I’ve talked about it quite a few times with Eddie Hearn. Talking about the model, but the need for boxing promoters may cease to be a thing. You might not need promoters. If you’ve got the broadcaster, as an investor, if you’ve got the broadcaster and you’ve got the fighters. Then you’ve got the fight.

I don’t think it’s gonna happen overnight because fighters are under contract and then the promoters have got the contracts with the broadcasters.  If Turki Al-Sheikh is that interested in boxing and he loves the sport that much, which for me he does appear to really love boxing. I think, I think it will eventually, not straight away, if he does have his Dana White day (Turki) then why do you need these promoters? You need advisors, you need people managing, but you don’t need a promoter. It’s part of the kind of overall spectacle, a bit WWE style, you know, you can have Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn. Table, ladders, chairs match or something. Get them involved.

Listen, Eddie Hearn is what he is. He’s had a great career as a promoter. Frank Warren’s in his 70s. He’s a baron, he needs to down his tools. He’s got to retire. And then you’ve got Ben Shalom now, has been brought to the mix. And what that does is that just opens up the doors for all of the fighters to mix. So it depends on which commentary you like.”