Froch saddened by Roy Jones Jr ´fan fight´

Former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch has expressed sadness at seeing boxing great Roy Jones Jr offer to take on a fan in a sponsored fight.

While Froch, 38, officially called a halt to his illustrious career in 2015, following a glorious rematch victory over British rival George Groves the previous year, Jones continues to fight on at the age of 47.

Jones, who in 2003 became the first former middleweight world champion to claim a heavyweight crown for 106 years, suffered a brutal fourth-round knockout at the hands of Enzo Maccarinelli in his most recent fight, a non-title cruiserweight bout in Moscow last December.

It was announced this month that Jones would offer a fan $100,000 if they could beat him at an event in Arizona - although officials have since confirmed the 1988 Olympic silver medalist will only be able to fight someone with a professional record.

Froch told Omnisport: “I didn’t like seeing Roy Jones against Enzo Maccarinelli, to be honest. He got knocked out quite badly.

“Obviously Roy Jones in his prime would have beaten anybody, so to see a guy that has been at the top and secured himself financially, to now be doing things like fighting when he shouldn’t be fighting and getting knocked out in that sort of fashion, that’s not good for your health to get knocked out and it’s a real shame.

“To fight this fan for $100,000 is again another step that I’d rather not see him do. A fan is probably not going to be able to cause any damage, so he [Jones] is probably going to be in safe hands, but it’s not nice to see him still competing at any level and taking punches from anybody, because he shouldn’t need to be.

“From my point of view, it’s a shame to see Roy Jones, in my eyes one of the best fighters that has ever lived, to be in the position now where he’s having to do something involving fighting moving forward.”

Rumours of a potential return for Froch have surfaced sporadically since he hung up his gloves, but the Englishman maintains he is “happily retired”.

“For the first four or five months, maybe even six months, I was always thinking maybe another fight might come along,” he added.

“There was talk of me fighting Gennady Golovkin or whoever else it was in a comeback fight.

“I’m realistic. When I’m training [now] and I’m doing what I’m doing, it’s nothing compared to what I used to do when I was a professional boxer, an elite athlete, and I’m finding it hard.

“I’m 40 years old next year. I’m realistic and if I can’t be at my best physically then there’s no way I’ll put myself in a position where I could get hurt, and not just physically hurt - I’ve got kids and obviously I want to be there for my kids - but I don’t want to destroy my legacy and ruin what I’ve left behind.

“I’ve retired from boxing leaving the fans wanting more and that’s the way to go. I’m in a fantastic place and I’m just enjoying life.”