If they fought now Froch would batter him. Joe's been out the ring for 2 and half years, is 39 and went through a spell of drug use. Any comeback wouldn't go very well, especially against a tough, world class operator like Froch. I think he got out at the right time as he was starting to slide. Had he fought Froch after the Jones Jr fight I think Joe would have won a pretty wide UD. Prime for prime Joe wins comfortably too, his style was all wrong for Froch. But now, Froch wins.