Carl Froch has reignited his rivalry with Joe Calzaghe by challenging the legitimacy of Calzaghe's undefeated record. The former super middleweight champion claims Calzaghe's perfect 46-0 career shouldn't have made it past 1999.
Froch and Calzaghe never met in the ring, but their rivalry has simmered for years. Calzaghe, known as the "Pride of Wales," moved up to light heavyweight late in his career. Froch believes this move was to avoid facing him as he climbed the ranks at super middleweight.
The Nottingham fighter enjoyed a stellar career himself. He held the WBC title twice between 2008 and 2011 and later added the IBF and WBA belts to his collection. Froch's final fight saw him stop George Groves at Wembley in May 2024, a rematch of their controversial first encounter.
But it's a fight from much earlier in Calzaghe's career that Froch points to when questioning his rival's record. In 1999, Calzaghe faced Robin Reid in a closely contested bout. The judges' scorecards showed a wide range of opinions, with one scoring it 116-111 for Reid and two others giving it to Calzaghe by the same margin.
Reid was shocked by the loss, and many observers felt he had done enough to win. Froch agrees, telling The Ring Magazine:
"Robin Reid could really bang, and in my opinion he deserved the win over Joe Calzaghe in their fight."
Calzaghe went on to enjoy a Hall of Fame career, retiring undefeated with notable wins over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. But for Froch, that '0' in the loss column will always come with an asterisk.
The debate over close decisions and undefeated records will likely continue as long as boxing exists. For now, Froch's comments serve as a reminder of a heated rivalry that never got settled in the ring.
