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Home » Carl Froch attributes Mikkel Kessler loss to volcanic ash cloud

Carl Froch attributes Mikkel Kessler loss to volcanic ash cloud

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  • 3 min read

Former super-middleweight ruler Carl

Froch has explained away one of his two losses as the Nottingham man took the first ‘L’ of his career against the ‘Great Dane.’

Heading to Kessler’s native country in April 2010, there were major doubts about the fight taking place due to a volcanic ash cloud hovering over Iceland from Eyjafjallajökull.

Froch was initially told the fight was off and then back on again. Flying through eruption was almost as daunting as facing Kessler in his backyard.

Those two factors, coupled with a blip during training due to his belief the contest wouldn’t go ahead, all attributed to Froch’s downfall.

Carl Froch

He explained on ‘The Rounds’ – a new Matchroom Boxing series with Carl Froch alongside Darren Barker, what went down during that period of his career.

“On Tuesday of fight week, we had Sky News on, and they said all the flights we grounded. So I am thinking I am definitely not going,” said Froch. “The US broadcasters aren’t going to be able to make it over, so it’s definitely off.

“We had a barbecue in the garden. I had a couple of cans of Guinness. I don’t drink much, and I had a couple of them in fight week!

“The next day, my promoter rang me and said that the Sauerland’s were sending a private jet and the flight was at 2 pm.

“A private jet sounds glamorous, but it wasn’t. It was a five-seater, and it was bumpy all the way. Rob [McCracken, trainer] doesn’t like heights, so he was white all the way and didn’t say a word. He was hanging onto the seat and looking at me.

“I was winding him up saying, ‘I think we are bang in trouble here. This plane is all over the place!'”

FROCH vs KESSLER

Upon arrival in Herning, Froch had a slight hitch with his weight but said it didn’t have a lasting effect during the contest.

“I crashed the weight, which I never do. At the weigh-in, I felt weak. It’s the first and only time I ever did that,” he pointed out. “I don’t want people to think I’m making an excuse.

“I felt good to fight and had a great twelve rounds against a brilliant fighter, and I just didn’t quite do enough.”

In addition to those two significant happenings, though, with just days to go, it made a big difference in his final preparations for Kessler.

“Going over on the Wednesday under that ash cloud in fight week and being overweight, switching off, it was horrible.

“I believe that things happen for a reason, though. In boxing, you don’t win or lose. You win or learn.

“I learned how to come back. In my next fight, I fought Arthur Abraham. The WBC title was back up for grabs. That boosted my spirits, and that loss didn’t feel as bad.”

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