‘Cobra’ reveals influence of featherweight legend

As WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch prepares for a life away from his native Britain, the 34 year-old has revealed that the titles, fame and money may never happened if it wasn’t for flashy young fighter calling himself ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed.

The two-time world champion, who is moving his young family to the US in the near future, was ready to walk away from the sport in his teens after becoming disillusioned with boxing and cites ‘Naz’ as his inspiration to achieve his goals in the fight game.

“I gave up boxing at 15 and but for Naz I would never have gone back,” Froch told Daily Mail boxing correspondent Jeff Powell.

“I used to love watching him. Even though I was out of the game in 2001, I spent almost every penny I had on going to Las Vegas to watch him fight (Marco Antonio) Barrera. I kept a hundred dollar bill in my back pocket in case of emergency, but I was so convinced Naz was going to win that I put it on a bet with a Mexican at ringside.

“Barrera was brilliant that night, world class. But even though Naz lost he went down fighting and I still loved him. I wanted to pick up where he was leaving off and there’s still a bit of him in me.

“I mimicked the way he fought. Rob McCracken is not always happy that I carry my hands low like that, but when I throw my punches from down there, especially the jab, they often don’t see them coming.”

The Nottingham fighter is now preparing for the defining night in his future base as he faces WBA champion Andre Ward in December at the Boarldwalk Hall, Atlantic City in the final of Showtime’s Super-Six tournament.

A victory for Froch (28-1, 20 KO’s) could set-up a three-belt super-middleweight bout with IBF belt holder Lucian Bute and put him up with the best pound for pound fighters in the world.