Carl Froch reveals what would’ve happened if he’d have fought Canelo Alvarez

In a typically bold Carl Froch take, the Nottingham boxer has unsurprisingly claimed he’d have had far too much for Canelo Alvarez.

On May 6, fellow Brit, John Ryder, took on the almighty task of flying to Guadalajara, Mexico, to battle it out with the pound-for-pound legend in front of an enormous partisan crowd at the Estadio Akron stadium. And while he didn’t come away with the victory, his gladiatorial-style performance won the hearts of fans watching from around the world.

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Giving his assessment, ‘The Cobra’ told, Sporting Post: “I thought Canelo fought a very good world-level fighter in John Ryder, but he’s not quite a top-tier-level fighter. You grade fighters on world level, British level and European level, where you’re ranked top-10 in the world. And then you think, is he good enough to step up to world level, which is about timing and who the champions are?

“I always thought Ryder was a world-level fighter, he’s good enough to compete which he proved by going the distance. However, I think Canelo is past his best, which everyone knows, but it’s just about levels, basically. I think Ryder is at that level in the super-middleweight division. I don’t think he’s big enough, I think he’s a middleweight, even light-middleweight, he’s quite small. Canelo is small as well. But Ryder really took it to him, great performance and you can’t ask for more. I’d like to see him win a world title, but it’s all about timing. But Ryder has earned himself money and did himself proud.”

However, it goes without saying that the Nottingham boxer thinks he would’ve done better.

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Carl Froch thinks he would’ve beat Canelo Alvarez

At the peak of his powers, Mr 80,000 was a formidable fighter, capable of dragging near enough every opponent he’d face into the darkest of trenches, in which he’d blister them with his freakish engine until they eventually buckled.

And while Andre Ward found a way to battle through, everyone else fell foul to Froch’s bulletproof tenacity. Therefore, you’d expect him to fancy his chances against even the most legendary fighters. But this really is a strong stance.

He claimed: “I’ve already sized up Canelo, I shook his hand at the press conference when he fought Billy Joe Saunders. I don’t think he’d be big enough for me.”

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Froch continued: “I think it would have been a similar performance to Arthur Abraham, a guy who was knocking everyone out and everyone was scared to death of him. I got in there and fought him after Kessler, which was my world title belt, and I just pummelled him. Similar to what Bivol did to Canelo. Just outworked him, at range, right and left hooks straight to the pipe to weaken him. Then back behind the jab with long power punches.

“I think I’d have outworked him, mauled him, and drained him in the later rounds. Just too busy for him, his work-rate isn’t there. As it went into rounds 10 to 12, I’d have been too busy for him. He gasses a bit down the stretch now, Canelo. He looks for breathers, his work-rate isn’t there and he wouldn’t have been big enough for me. He’s not a tall fighter.

“Abraham, I always go back to him when I think of Canelo. He was strong and feared by everyone. Obviously Canelo is more talented than Abraham, but for that size, Abraham never got near me. So Canelo would have to get past my long arms. I’d back myself. I shook his hand, small hands, he hasn’t got a big frame. Boxing has weight divisions for a reason.”

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