For those saying Froch never ducked anyone.....

However, without wishing to sound like a broken record, I must reiterate that the Nottingham man would not have beaten Joe Calzaghe; nor has he had a greater career as some scribes have been suggesting. Let's deal in cold, hard facts. Unlike Froch, Calzaghe never met with defeat in 46 fights because, unlike Froch, he had a diverse skill set to combat whatever the opposition brought to the ring.

Much has been made of the austerity of Froch's opposition but it doesn't stack up against JC's. Calzaghe saw off nine world champions and tamed a younger, fresher and far more dangerous version of Kessler – then just 28 and unbeaten in 39 - before 54,000 at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. People forget several of the less familiar names on Joe's slate were enforced mandatory defences.

Trust me, fighters know more than I know. Only Steve Collins knows whether he vacated his world title and retired rather than accommodate the young Calzaghe and Eubank left the ring muttering that he now knew "why that wily old fox Collins didn't face Joe".

Twice when Froch was out of contract, I offered him the Calzaghe fight but both times he stalled and repeatedly asked when Joe intended moving up to light-heavy. He knew Calzaghe was as tough as him, yet far quicker and more skilled. He wanted no part and that's a fact.

Frank Warren's Column- 01/06/13 | Frank Warren