EARLIER this year, Carl Froch's boxing career came of age. This weekend we shall know if "The Cobra" has reached the same stage as a fighter. On Saturday night, Britain's most under-stated boxer finally gets his tilt at the WBC belt.

It was 21 years ago when, as a nine-year-old, Froch first threw a punch. Not long after he went for his first sparring session at the Phoenix club in Gedling. It's been a long journey. But on Saturday, under the glare of the Nottingham Arena's lights, Froch reaches the fork in his road.

Victory will go a long way to securing his future; defeat, on the other hand, will send him somewhere he's never been before.

Froch's record is 23-0 with 19 of those victories claimed by a knock-out. Boxing is in every sense the most brutal of all sporting pursuits. And on Saturday the previous 23 victories will count for little if he fails to maintain his unbeaten record.

To ratchet up the pressure, Froch's fight comes hot on the heels of Ant 'n Dec in the jungle and the British Comedy Awards on ITV's Saturday schedule.

Jim Rosenthal and Barry McGuigan, present coverage of Froch's bout with the Canadian Jean Pascal for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight title.

The sport's best commentary partnership of John Rawling and Duke McKenzie will be calling the action. Home advantage, Saturday night billing on terrestrial TV, and the fight game's most expert eyes looking on. Froch can no longer claim he isn't getting a fair slice of the publicity pie. What he has to do now – as he has done 23 times before – is deliver.

Carl Froch: Page 45