Carl Froch has reignited his long-running war of words with Joe Calzaghe by suggesting the former super-middleweight world champion has taken the soft option by offering to help Super 6 opponent Mikkel Kessler (Kessler 4/5 draw 25/1 Froch evens – fight prices).

WBC super-middleweight champion Froch called on Calzaghe – before and after he announced his retirement – but never got the chance to face the unbeaten Welshman.

Froch has accused Calzaghe of ducking him and reports in Denmark have suggested the 37-year-old will now lend his support to Kessler, who he outpointed in 2007.

However, Froch has said he will not sleep over the prospect of Calzaghe teaming up with his April 24 opponent (Froch 11/4 Ko, Tko Or Disqualification – Method Of Victory).

“Calzaghe was not man enough to fight me and maybe feels a bit more secure whispering in another fighter’s ear than taking my punches himself,” the Nottingham fighter told Hennessy Sports.

“He never had the bottle to fight me so how can he know how to beat me?”