17.02.08 Showtime to air Froch fight stateside

Unbeaten Nottingham super-middleweight Carl Froch has landed a deal with US pay-per-view channel Showtime which he hopes will finally help him land the marquee fights he craves.

Froch's WBC title eliminator against Denis Inkin in his home city on March 29 will be broadcast live on ITV1 in Britain, as well as prime-time on a tape delay basis across America.

It is a major coup for Froch, who will become the mandatory contender for Joe Calzaghe's title if he can overcome the big-punching Inkin - although Calzaghe is moving up to light-heavyweight to face Bernard Hopkins in April.

Froch said: "I'd prefer to fight Joe but if he's not up for it and steps down then I should be made champion. Then with this kind of exposure I will be able to go after the really big fights.

"I won't duck anyone and I'd love to fight Kelly Pavlik, who beat Jermain Taylor again last night. There is nobody else around who can give Pavlik as tough a fight as I can.

"I've been trying to get this exposure for so long and I'm absolutely delighted that I'm being showcased on both sides of the Atlantic. To get this kind of exposure worldwide is unbeatable."

Calzaghe is unlikely to voluntarily vacate his WBC title prior to Froch's match against Inkin, with the likelihood that Froch will be declared champion retrospectively should he beat Inkin and the Welshman commit to 175lbs.

Alternatively Froch could consider the appetising prospect of a future fight against one of former Calzaghe victims Mikkel Kessler or Jeff Lacy.

Froch's promoter Mick Hennessy said: "This is a major statement from broadcasters on both sides of the Atlantic which confirm that Carl Froch is one of the marquee fighters of world boxing today."

Meanwhile Hennessy has confirmed Junior Witter's WBC light-welterweight title defence against Demetrius Hopkins, tentatively scheduled for March 22 in Palm Springs, is in doubt.

Hopkins' manager Cameron Duncan missed the weekend deadline to confirm the fight with promoters Golden Boy. However Hennessy is still hopeful an alternative opponent can be found for the same date and venue.

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