‘Doesn’t fancy it’ – Carl Froch claims Joe Calzaghe made U-turn on mega-money comeback fight offer

Carl Froch has claimed that Joe Calzaghe rejected a huge payday to come out of retirement and fight him.

Calzaghe had been linked with an all-British clash with Froch in the later stages of his illustrious career.

But when he opted to move up to light-heavyweight, a potential bout with Froch was put off the table.

The ‘Pride of Wales’ went on to make two appearances at 175lbs, before he bowed out of the sport with a perfect 46-0 record.

Despite both men now being retired, Froch has continued to call for a chance to finally settle the score with Calzaghe.

The Welshman has remained insistent over the years that he has no interest in returning to the ring to face ‘Cobra’.

It seems he has kept true to his word, even after Turki Alalshikh attempted to coax him out of retirement for one final money-spinning clash.

During an interview with Clubhouse Boxing, Froch revealed: “Joe Calzaghe didn’t fancy it then, and he doesn’t fancy it now, does he?

“He was offered good money by Turki Alashikh.

“He agreed the number, he agreed the fight, Calzaghe said ‘yeah, I will have some of that’.

“Turki Alalshikh offered him big bunce, I reckon it was 10 million.

“He went home, thought about it, came back and phoned Turki and said ‘no, I can’t do it’.

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“I never got to that point [of agreeing on an offer myself], I was out of the equation because he had already agreed and then disagreed.”

It comes as no great surprise that Calzaghe turned down the staggering offer, as he would’ve been risking his untarnished record.

His legacy earned him the title of Britain’s greatest ever boxer, according to the British Boxing Hall of Fame, and he seems content with the fights he did and didn’t take when he was active.

Froch, on the other hand, appears unable to let the thought of fighting Calzaghe go and even suggested an exhibition fight as recently as 2026.

What did Turki Alalshikh say about Froch vs Calzaghe?

When speaking to Froch in 2024, Alalshikh revealed: “Last year I gave him an offer to fight you, and he accepted then the next day he changed his mind.

“It was not for an exhibition, it was for a real fight. Still, I want to see this fight.”