Froch expecting close contest

Carl Froch is preparing for his showdown with Mikkel Kessler at the O2
20 May 2013

Carl Froch has admitted his eagerly anticipated re-match with Mikkel Kessler in London is "a pick 'em fight", but remains supremely "confident" he will have his hand raised this weekend.

The Nottingham brawler is looking to gain revenge after Kessler handed him a first professional defeat in 2010 and will be finally given the chance when the pair square off at the O2 Arena for the WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles on Saturday night.

Froch is the slight favourite to emerge victorious after bouncing back from his loss to the Dane with wins over elite fighters Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson and Lucian Bute, the last of which was a stunning fifth-round stoppage.

Kessler, meanwhile, took a near 14-month sabbatical from the ring following his victory over Froch in order to recuperate fully from an eye injury and has not fought the same calibre of opponent as the Briton.

There have even been rumours that Saturday's bout could be the 34-year-old's final professional outing, but Froch insists this makes Kessler a more dangerous proposition.

"This is a tough job, I've got Mikkel Kessler who's going to be fit and strong. He's talking about this maybe being his last fight and people are looking at that as a negative," the 35-year-old told Sky Sports News.

"But I'm looking at that as a negative from my point of view because that means he's going to turn up and just leave it all in the ring and just have one last hurrah.

"I know it's going to be very, very tough, it's going to be brutal, it could be quite vicious and barbaric. But the both of us are in there to do a job, we're both real tough strong warriors at the top of our game, so it's a 'pick 'em' fight.

"I'm confident I'm going to win this fight. Don't get me wrong, I know how to beat Mikkel Kessler, but he'll probably tell you exactly the same.

"If I'm totally honest, this fight is a 50/50 fight, it's there for me to win and it's there for me to lose as well. I just need to make sure I'm focused and concentrated this last week and I'll get the job done in style."

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