Boxing News 24/7 Denzil Stone – Atlantic City
Should a unique ‘home and away’ contest with IBF super middleweight championship incumbent Lucian Bute fail to materialise for two-time world titlist Carl Froch, then the Englishman may be able to regain his old WBC title as, according to Anthony ‘The Dog’ Dirrell, the belt is going walkies as current holder Andre Ward is rumoured to vacate it, leaving the Council’s number one (Dirrell) and number two (Froch) in pole position to fight for the honour.
Ward shut Froch out, annexing his WBC belt, which could soon become available. Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime
The Dog is hungry as Dirrell (24-0-0, 21ko) sent Froch a direct message stating: “You’re next on the menu. [The] word is that Andre Ward is vacating the title.”
Dirrell is currently mandatory challenger to Ward’s WBC title, however, the pair, together with Anthony’s older brother Andre, built up a friendship that spans back to their amateur days and it has been speculated that they all may be loathe to the idea of trading leather with each other.
A match-up with Dirrell may also not even feature in Ward’s most immediate plans as, following on from the 2004 Olympic gold medalist’s successful unification bout with Froch in the Super Six, he stated that Bute would be an “option”, so too would a rematch with Mikkel Kessler, while the slick American was also receptive to the notion of making an appearance at light heavyweight for “the right fight”.
Froch (28-2-0, 20ko) has collected an international respect for the toughness of his resume. Combined with a gladiatorial fighting style is a desire to continuously seek out the hardest fights at 168lbs. In just over three years he has shared a ring with Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson and Ward… all top ten fighters and Anthony Dirrell – whilst lacking the profile of the aforementioned pugilists – is keeping in line with that tradition.
The Dog's bite is worse than his bark. Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime
Anthony has his brother Andre’s hand speed yet, unlike Andre who, like his name suggests has a Matrix-like defence, is more attack-minded, as is evidenced by his hulking kayo record. It would, indeed, be a fan-friendly fight and one that Froch is willing to consider.
The Nottingham man said: “It looks like Dirrell’s little brother wants to play if Bute doesn’t,” before adding that he would pass it along to his promoter, the entrepreneurial Eddie Hearn, head of boxing at Matchroom Sports: “Eddie Hearn, it’s over to you.”
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