Boxing: James DeGale could fight Carl Froch but will lose, says Glenn McCrory
The teacher will put the pupil in his place, says Sky Sports expert
Wednesday 15 October 2014 15:24, UK
Glenn McCrory says James DeGale can do all the homework he wants but will learn a harsh lesson if he takes on Carl Froch...
George Groves showed that Carl Froch can be hurt and that he can be decked.
Yes, we know that Carl is hard, dangerous and can punch, but against Groves we all saw that there are one or two little signs that he can be got at.
Carl climbed back up when he was down - and down hard - and went on to beat Groves twice, but sooner rather than later someone is going to capitalise on the fact that Froch is coming to the end of his career.
So will mandatory IBF challenger James DeGale exploit all that and take over the mantle? Will he go one stage further than his bitter rival Groves? Any fight involving Froch is entertaining and explosive - but I just can't see DeGale springing a surprise.
Will DeGale go one stage further than his bitter rival Groves? Any fight involving Froch is entertaining and explosive but I just can't see DeGale springing a surprise.
Yes, James is a very awkward fighter and the type of opponent plenty would avoid because he comes from all angles - he's crouched, he's in and out, and he's all over people - but that sort of thing does not unduly worry Froch.
Okay, Andre Ward has all that in his locker but he has a whole lot more, too; like Mikkel Kessler back in the day, he has the strength and bravery to push Froch back and pressure him that way.
I like DeGale, especially the way he called out Froch last week, and that win over Brandon Gonzales at Wembley was impressive, but I just think, right now, that Froch is still top of the class in Britain.
Masterclass
I was at ringside with both Carl and James at Fight Night on Saturday and, to be honest, Carl had already started the mind games.
He started off by putting his arm around James's shoulder and giving him some credit for where he had got to, but it was a bit like a teacher talking to a pupil.
Whether or not James saw it that way is another matter, but it was almost like Carl was telling him 'well done, good work... but who is in charge here?' It was almost a patronising pat on the back.
I thought it was a masterclass from Froch and reminded me that experience can go a long way towards winning a fight, long before the bell has sounded.
Even if you take that aside - and trust me, the mind games belong to Froch so far - I am not sure this is a good time to take him on.
There have been a million and one things Groves has done to annoy DeGale down the years, but flooring Froch could yet be the worst yet! Carl might be the teacher but he has learned a lesson and we will not see him taking anyone easy again, even if it is his last fight.
Froch took his foot off the gas against Groves, that is for sure, but he still got back on his feet and reminded us just how hard he can hit. Not many people are knocking on the door trying to take Carl on and while DeGale might do his homework I just can't see him passing the test.
