Famous British fighters and former world champions Carl Froch and Tony Bellew have been mulling over what might happen had the two ever come to blows in the ring.
Both men displayed plenty of heart, desire and enough skill to lift world titles in their respective divisions. They were both frequent bill toppers who had high-profile all-British grudge matches on Sky Box Office, with Froch twice besting George Groves and Bellew overcoming David Haye on two separate nights under the lights.
During their careers the pair sparred plenty, but a gulf in weight meant a proper scrap was always off the table. Still, the subject managed to come up on a recent interview. Speaking on Froch on Fighting, ‘The Cobra’ posed a question from a viewer.
“A prime Carl Froch against a prime Tony Bellew at a catchweight, who wins?”
Bellew immediately folded, saying ‘oh mate, let’s just say you’d beat me up.’ Froch disagreed and tried to goad Bellew into a discussion about some private sparring encounters.
“I’m not so sure about that, you can’t just give in that easy. Look at the spars. “
Bellew then called Froch out for bringing those up.
“Yeah but they were behind closed doors. What happens in the gym stays in the gym until you, you silly b**tard, you put it in your book. I don’t believe in telling gym stories. And I don’t believe in talking about shoulda, woulda, coulda.”
Froch fleshed out the story and admitted he was put down.
“Yeh but I was being honest. You walked me onto a nice right hand. But did I or did I not get straight back up and carry on the spar?”
The pair continued to argue about the exact shot before Bellew claimed it did more damage than Froch thought because in actual fact ‘it was a left hook you silly b**stard.’
Bellew agreed it would have been ‘an absolutely great fight’ and Froch asks one more time if the pair should make it happen.
“Yeh, it would be a barnstormer. Shall we do it as an exhibition?”
Bellew finally lamented and said he would ‘if the money was right’. As far as fantasy fights go, it sure would be a good one.