Magee Made Froch mandatory.

British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion Carl Froch has reacted to the Boxing Board of Control’s decision to install Brian Magee as his mandatory contender by vowing to knock the Belfast man out. Magee has fought once, a TKO victory over Neil Linford, since he lost his undefeated record to Robin Reid last June. What makes the Board’s decision so significant is Magee (23-0-1) and Reid have both been on Froch’s radar for some time. “I knocked on the doors of Magee and Reid last year but they pretended they weren’t in,” begun the Cobra. “If potential challengers want to avoid me, what more can I do? My promoter has done everything he can to allow me to challenge and defend my titles against quality opposition. But nobody wants a piece of me.”

“I think the Board recognised this and that’s why they made the match with Magee. I’d love this fight as my first defence. It would be tough, but I’d win it in style. I can promise you I’ll knock him out – clean. He can’t live with me. I’m the best in Britain, I’m the best in the Commonwealth and I’ll be the best in Europe and then the World. I say that with a 100%, cast-iron guarantee. Throughout my career all I’ve wanted to do is prove I’m the real deal. With the Board’s help, I’ll take Magee now, and I’ll have Reid afterwards.” However rumours are already circulating that Magee is looking to bypass the hottest prospect in world boxing.

“I’ve heard they are talking about Magee fighting for the European title either against champion Rudy Markussen or a vacant challenge,” undefeated Froch added.

“But fighting for the European title before beating your domestic rivals proves nothing. The only reason he would take this route is to avoid me and prolong his career. Magee isn’t mandatory or even the number one for the European so why talk about “what-ifs’ and “could-bes’. It’s ridiculous. He’s got a mandatory challenge sitting waiting here, so what’s with the aversion strategy? Let’s just get it on. If the rumours are true, Magee is demonstrating everything that’s wrong with boxing in the UK. Why doesn’t anyone want to prove they are the best anymore? Is it only Hennessy Sports fighters that step up?

“It’s funny how certain boxers get vocal about potential fights and what they want to achieve in their careers, yet when it gets put on them, like Magee now, they take a vow of silence and go into hiding. I’m surprised he gets any public support. If he swerves this fight, he swerves it because he knows I’ll expose him. I nearly choked on my tea when I saw him ranked number fourteen by the WBC. Give me the opportunity and I’ll knock him down the rankings, no way should he be higher than me!

“I’ll give him the opportunity to be a man and step up to the challenge. If he does that, I’ll tip my hat to him. If not, I’m tempted to put an advertisement in the Belfast Telegraph and explain to his fellow countrymen what the real Brian Magee is all about. The choice is his!”

Froch’s response to the Board’s decision comes from Florida, where he is helping his team-mate Howard Eastman prepare for his colossal World title clash against Bernard Hopkins.

“Just training in the States has given me a real taste of what I can expect in the next few years,” Froch continued. “The buzz around the Hennessy camp is intense. Howard will be in the form of his life once our trainer Robert McCracken has finished with him. This is the biggest fight for at least the last decade for a British fighter and no fight in 2005 will come close. I’m backing him all the way. I hope everyone in the country gets behind him.”