No-Go from HBO on Carl Froch v. Jermain Taylor

[Rantcatrat]

BOXINGTALK reported that HBO has said no to Carl Froch v. Jermain Taylor and is only interested in Mikkel Kessler or Winkie Wright as potential opponents for Taylor:BOXINGTALK.

[Gandalf]

Nobody in the states knows who Froch is. Personally I think its a decent fight. Kessler against Taylor would be good. For Kessler.

As for Winky. Well, he's been out so long. He deserves a Taylor rematch, but I have no desire to ever go through the pain of watching it.

[Mikkel_K]

What would be cool would be Winky-Kessler and Froch-Taylor on the same HBO card. That would also set it up for a big fight between the winners.

Probably not gonna happen though because of the money - and the egos - involved.

[albsur2006]

Well, I can't really hate HBO for this decision. They're thinking that if JT is already willing to fight Froch at 168 then he might as well fight Kessler who has a bit of exposure due to his fight with Calzaghe and is a bigger name at 168 then Froch is. I think Froch vs Taylor is a great fight but I can see HBO rationale with that decision. I wouldn't mind seeing Taylor-Wright II either, the first fight was surprisingly good and ended in a draw.

[Rantcatrat]

Admittedly, I'm a Jermain Taylor fan. I'd rather see Jermain up against Froch than Kessler - at least in his second fight at 168.

For Kessler, I think the fight would be great, he gains a lot of stateside exposure fighting Jermain, and it could lead to a big money PPV fight with Chad Dawson or a fight in Montreal versus Bute.

[albsur2006]

What would be cool would be Winky-Kessler and Froch-Taylor on the same HBO card. That would also set it up for a big fight between the winners.

Probably not gonna happen though because of the money - and the egos - involved.

Yeah, no way HBO is paying for Winky, JT, Kessler, and Froch on just one day. Man, I wish there some way to get back to the days of old where there were mulitple names and good matchups on a televised show. The closest we've got to recently was the Cotto-Gomez/Margarito-Cintron doubleheader.

[The Fightfan]

After watching the Taylor LAcy fight and having Lampley rattle off the top fighter's at 168. The only one that wasn't mentioned was Froch. IT's just odd usually HBO would buy into an undefeated SMW with a record of
24 and 0 and 19 KO's but I forgot he wasn't American so he really isn't worth a s**t.

[littlebif]

Froch is a very dangerous champion that has been avoided by alot of fighters.He is similar to Junior Witter by getting the WBC belt and no big names want to fight you still.

[ross]

He hasnt been avoided and he turned down a match with Calzaghe over a year ago, he still hasnt fought any real world rated fighters, hes an old joke.

Like Calzaghe said recently, he was world champ at 25, he beat a legend in Euabank to win it and is still a champ now 11 years later.

Froch is 31 and has only just wan his first title and the only reason he got that chance is because Calzaghe moved up to beat 2 more legends, while Froch was having a life and death battle with someone the same as himself who wasnt proven.

[Bomp]

He hasnt been avoided and he turned down a match with Calzaghe over a year ago, he still hasnt fought any real world rated fighters, hes an old joke.

Like Calzaghe said recently, he was world champ at 25, he beat a legend in Euabank to win it and is still a champ now 11 years later.

Froch is 31 and has only just wan his first title and the only reason he got that chance is because Calzaghe moved up to beat 2 more legends, while Froch was having a life and death battle with someone the same as himself who wasnt proven.

Taylor fighting Kess is the ideal result for Froch. He can keep his title for one more fight while claiming to be avoided.

[JazMerkin]

If those guys are taken why doesn't he take a fight with Bute or even Andrade if their rematch isn't gonna happen.

[Lance Uppercut]

BOXINGTALK reported that HBO has said no to Carl Froch v. Jermain Taylor and is only interested in Mikkel Kessler or Winkie Wright as potential opponents for Taylor:BOXINGTALK.

Sounds good to me

[Fenster]

He hasnt been avoided and he turned down a match with Calzaghe over a year ago, he still hasnt fought any real world rated fighters, hes an old joke.

Like Calzaghe said recently, he was world champ at 25, he beat a legend in Euabank to win it and is still a champ now 11 years later.

Froch is 31 and has only just wan his first title and the only reason he got that chance is because Calzaghe moved up to beat 2 more legends, while Froch was having a life and death battle with someone the same as himself who wasnt proven.

Taylor fighting Kess is the ideal result for Froch. He can keep his title for one more fight while claiming to be avoided.

That's unfair.

Froch fought Pascal for the WBC title because Taylor (1-2 ranked) decided to fight Lacy instead of him.

Lou Dibella said Lacy was an easier fight for more money, than Froch, so fuck the WBC title.

[ClubberLang]

As for Winky. Well, he's been out so long. He deserves a Taylor rematch, but I have no desire to ever go through the pain of watching it.

Really? I thought their first fight was excellent, one of Winky's better action fights. That said, Winky has been on the shelf so long that you have to wonder if he can duplicate that performance. I think Froch or Bute would both be great fights for Taylor, but HBO holds all the cards as they have an exclusive contract with Taylor. I think Kessler would be a very good fight, but Taylor loses. I would favor Taylor against Bute, Froch or at this point Winky.

[smashup]

Froch and Kessler are in talks for a Feb 28th date!!
FACT