• Super-middleweight

Calzaghe: Froch will be driven by revenge

Joe Calzaghe feels Carl Froch has a lot to prove in the rematch © Getty Images

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Former super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe has backed Carl Froch to defeat Mikkel Kessler in their highly-anticipated rematch on Saturday - as the Welshman believes revenge will spur Froch on.

Froch and Kessler meet for the second time in the space of three years at the O2 Arena, with Froch desperate to get his revenge over the boxer who inflicted a first career defeat on him in Denmark.

IBF champion Froch has fought five times since, whereas WBA title holder Kessler has only participated in three bouts, and Calzaghe feels it will be Froch who will emerge victorious on May 25.

"I think Froch is going to win the fight," Calzaghe told Press Association Sport. "He's been active, Kessler's been very inactive, he's only had three fights in three years since their last fight which was a war. Kessler edged that fight but since then Mikkel has been very inactive, which is going to tell."

Froch lost out on points to Kessler on the latter's home territory, and Calzaghe - who remained unbeaten during his time in the division - has tipped 'The Cobra' to exact his revenge.

"He's confident and of course he wants revenge. The big thing is, when somebody is fighting the rematch, the guy who wants revenge has always got that little bit extra to try and prove themselves," Calzaghe said.

"And the biggest thing is he's boxing in London, so he's fighting at home with the crowd behind him."

Like Froch, Kessler has only lost twice in his career, with Calzaghe responsible for one of them when the pair tussled in 2007 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

And Calzaghe insists Kessler is not the boxer he was when he faced him six years ago.

"It's going to be a good fight. I like Mikkel. Obviously I boxed him in 2007 and he was a better fighter when I beat him, to be fair, than I think he is now but he's a warrior. They're both warriors," he said. "I hope the fans get a similar fight to the first fight. I'm looking forward to it."

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