Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler agree rematch in UK in May

 

Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler have agreed terms for a rematch, to take place in the United Kingdom in May.

Froch said he was leaning towards Saturday 25 May as the date, while last week the BBC learned London's O2  had been pencilled in as the venue.

Nottingham's three-time world super-middleweight champion Froch was outpointed by Kessler in 2010.

"I feared Kessler had second thoughts about his promise but the man has come good on his word," said Froch.

"Our first fight was pure warfare. We went at each other for every minute of every round and the rematch promises to be even more fiercely contested.

Mikkel Kessler factfile

  • Born 1 March 1979
  • Former two-time WBA and two-time WBC super-middleweight champion
  • Has won 46 of his 48 professional bouts
  • Defeats have come against Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward
  • Career includes wins over Carl Froch, Anthony Mundine, Markus Beyer

"I seriously wish I was ringside myself for this fight because I'm gunning for revenge at all costs and the fight fans are in for a real treat."

In taking the fight against his Danish rival, Froch is likely to be stripped of his IBF title after the governing body ordered Froch to defend his title against Canadian Adonis Stevenson.

Kessler, 33, is the WBA's 'world' champion which ostensibly would give Froch, 35, the chance to become a four-time world champion.

However, American Andre Ward is the WBA's 'super' champion, meaning Froch-Kessler II would not be for a world title in the strictest sense.

Kessler said: "Since that first fight, I have become even stronger. I am fresh, I am healthy and I am ready to defeat him once again.

"I don't care where we fight, I said any time, anywhere. I plan to make my loyal Viking fans, as well as everybody else in Denmark, very proud once again. I am ready for war."

Froch said he had never felt so motivated for a fight, adding: "If Mikkel thinks he saw the best of me in Denmark then he is in for a rude awakening."

Froch became a three-time world champion with a brutal fifth-round stoppage of Lucian Bute in May and defended his crown with a third-round stoppage of Yusaf Mack in November.

The Kessler defeat is one of only two on his record, the other being a points defeat by Ward in 2011.

Kessler's last fight was a third-round stoppage of Northern Ireland's Brian Magee in December and he, too, has only been beaten twice, by Ward and Welsh legend Joe Calzaghe.