Carl Froch, the boxer known for his tough chin, has picked Robin Reid as the hardest hitter he faced in his career. Froch shared this surprising insight during a recent chat with The Ring Magazine.
'The Cobra' had his fair share of tough fights throughout his career. He underestimated George Groves in their first bout at Manchester Arena in November 2013. Groves knocked him down in the opening round, but Froch rallied back to win via a controversial stoppage in the ninth.
Their rematch in May 2014 ended more decisively. Froch landed what he calls his career-best right hand in the eighth round. Groves couldn't beat the count, and Froch walked away with the win.
Froch also had to dig deep against Jermain Taylor. He survived his first career knockdown in the third round but came back to win by KO with just 14 seconds left in the final round. His battles with Mikkel Kessler tested both his mind and body.
But when asked about the biggest puncher he faced, Froch surprised many by naming Robin Reid. He explained his choice to The Ring Magazine:
"[Reid] hurt me the most with a single shot. I can't say George Groves because he caught me square on in the first fight, when I left my feet behind me. That was a heavy knockdown made worse by my balance being off. Also, after his fast start dwindled, I came on strong, so I can't say Groves. I remember Reid hitting me and saying, 'F—ing hell, that hurt.' Jermain Taylor had me down, but that was more of a sharp shot. Robin Reid could really bang, and in my opinion he deserved the win over Joe Calzaghe in their fight. That said, Calzaghe had to be tough to walk through the right hands he took from Reid."
Reid, an Olympic Bronze Medalist, held the WBC Super-Middleweight World Title from 1996 to 1997 and made three successful defenses. He lost the belt to Thulani Malinga and later fought Froch for the British title in 2007. Reid retired in 2012 with an impressive record of 42 wins from 51 fights, with 29 of those wins coming by knockout.
Froch retired as a world champion after his win over Groves. He recently admitted that Kessler was the best fighter he ever faced, but it's clear that Reid's power left a lasting impression on 'The Cobra'.
