IBF Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21) looks to make the first defense of his title as he faces voluntary challenger Yusuf Mack (31-4-2, 17) in what appears to be little more than a stay busy fight in front of him home town fans. In fact it will be Froch's first home title defense since he defended the WBC title back in 2009 against Andre Dirrell.
At the start of the year many were thinking that Froch was a fighter on the slide. He had faced a who's who of stiff competition since December 2008 and had taken numerous shots from solid punchers including Jean Pascal, Jermaine Taylor, Mikkel Kessler and Glen Johnson. Despite his fights against the divisional elite, it was the fight, in December 2011 with Andre Ward, that perhaps cast the most doubt on Froch's future as Ward outboxed, out fought and out muscled the Englishman.
After the loss to Ward many expected Froch to only fight once or twice more, though earlier this year he-revitalised his career with a stunning victory over the previously unbeaten Romanian-Canadian Lucien Bute, stopping Bute in the 5th round to claim the IBF title. Against Bute, Froch looked like a fighter who wanted to prove that he had a lot left in the tank and those who had been writing him off, had been doing so far too early. He looked determined and like a fighter who had had enough of the critics really dominating Bute.
At his best Froch is an aggressive and powerful boxer-puncher (though more puncher than boxer) who is incredibly durable, having only been down once as a professional and capable of hurting almost anyone in the division. He's an unorthodox fighter who throws from some very unusual angles and often fights with low hands allowing his durability and heart to keep him upright, though, he does manage to ride punches surprisingly well.
Aged 35 Froch may be on the slide, though his performance against Bute didn't show the age or wear and tear expected of a fighter who has been in the matches Froch has been in. He's a fighter who is always full of confidence and with his home crowd roaring him on it's hard to see "The Cobra" not try to put on a show.
In Yusuf Mack who have a fighter who has sadly found his level and it's on the fringes of being a genuine title contender. He's a talented fighter who can genuinely beat most in the division. In fact wins over the likes of Daniel Judah, Chris Henry, Otis Griffin and Omar Sheika (although a very shaded Sheika) all suggest that Mack is a fighter who deserves a decent, top 15 or so ranking in the division (interestingly Boxrec do rank Mack at #15).
Sadly whilst Mack has scored noteworthy wins, he has lost in the most notable bouts of his career, with all 4 of his losses coming by T/KO. So far Alejandro Berrio, Librado Andrade, Glen Johnson and Tavoris Cloud have all beaten him, and all those losses have been between rounds 6-8. Rather worthy of of a note however was that at times, he was out boxing Cloud before Clouds pressure told and he was broken down.
Mack at heart is a decent fighter though sadly he's also very flawed and not just in his durability. His stamina is questionable and he does fade in the middle and later rounds of fights, he also lacks the power needed to made a dent on world class fighters (despite having dropped the iron chinned Librado Andrade).
With Mack's limitations and Froch's aggressiveness and power, I can't help but imagine that Froch will end this one relatively early. I'd be shocked if this goes beyond 8 rounds, with Froch beating down on Mack. Mack hasn't got the speed, strength or engine to stay away from Froch for long.
Prediction-Froch by TKO round 6.
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