Carl Froch believes the question of the best British fighter in history can be whittled down to just two names.
For some, the debate begins and ends with heavyweight icon Lennox Lewis, who defeated every man he faced – after avenging two shock defeats – to become the undisputed champion in boxing’s glamour division, and boasts victories over Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko.
Others lean towards the unbeaten Joe Calzaghe, whose incredible 46-0 record and wins over Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr and Chris Eubank Sr helped define a golden age for British boxing.
Speaking to former opponent Andre Ward on All The Smoke Fight, Froch says he lands on either of the two for the number one spot, praising the Welshman despite their back-and-forths over the years.
“He’s a great fighter. I give him credit. If you say who’s the top three fighters from Britain, I’d say Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe, and you could say Calzaghe takes the first place.
“You could say Lewis takes the number one spot. But Lewis got done by Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall. Calzaghe never got beat, although he was in a close fight with Robin Reid. Constructive criticism, but I always give him his flowers. I always say top fighter, unbeaten in 46 fights.”
Froch then predicted how he would have fared against Calzaghe had the rivalry ever made it through the ropes.
“If I had boxed him, he’d have probably beat me on points unless I knocked him out. I’d have to knock him out to win cause he’s got a high work-rate, tough and super-fit.”
It remains one of British boxing’s great ‘what if’ match-ups. By the time Froch arrived at the elite level of the super-middleweight division, Calzaghe’s run there was ending, and he would move up to light heavyweight to close out his career with victories over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.
