• Super-middleweight

Froch sets Kessler deadline

ESPN staff
January 9, 2013
Carl Froch was an impressive winner over Yusaf Mack in November © Getty Images
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Carl Froch's camp have told Mikkel Kessler to sign up in the next few days or miss out on a huge world title clash.

Froch wants to avenge his narrow April 2010 defeat to Kessler and is ready to put his IBF super-middleweight belt on the line to do so.

Negotiations have taken place, but Froch's manager Eddie Hearn is struggling to tie the Dane down. And if an agreement is not found in the coming days, the Cobra will turn his attentions to a mandatory defence against Adonis Stevenson.

"Carl is eager to avenge the Kessler loss but Mikkel seems worried about coming over here," Hearn told the Daily Mail. "If he doesn't sign in the next few days we will go to purse bids on January 15 for a mandatory challenge from Stevenson.  It's that simple."

Hearn feels he will have no trouble selling a bout with Stevenson, but Froch's wish is to tackle Kessler again.

"There is substantial television interest in Stevenson in America as well as in Canada but Kessler is a huge fight for Carl," Hearn said. "The advantage for Stevenson is that his fight would be even bigger after Carl beats Mikkel."

Hearn is ready to dangle a carrot in front of Kessler, as he said: "Kessler doesn't really have any alternatives at the moment  but he seems more worried that heavy defeat by Carl might become his last fight. So we are willing to guarantee him a rematch of his own down the line, the third bout in a big trilogy."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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