A retired boxing champion has sparked heated debates across social media after voicing controversial views denying the shape of the Earth as commonly accepted in modern science.
Carl Froch, a celebrated British former professional boxer known for his successful career spanning from 2002 to 2014, has remained in the public eye not just for his achievements in the ring but also as a prominent boxing commentator and analyst. However, his recent comments have gained attention for a completely different reason — his endorsement of widely debunked conspiracy theories.
During an appearance on the “Pound for Pound” podcast with Jake Wood and Spencer Oliver in December 2022, Froch declared his belief that the Earth is flat rather than spherical, a stance that contradicts centuries of scientific evidence. Additionally, he openly accused NASA of fabricating space imagery.
Froch was quoted, as reported by The Sun, saying, “The Earth is flat, 100 percent. There’s no definitive proof of the Earth’s curvature, and this so-called space agency, NASA, relies on CGI-generated images where each one looks different.”
He further criticized photographic evidence provided by space agencies, remarking, “When I look at those images, I can’t help but think, ‘Wait a second, these look like cartoons.’ Until someone like Richard Branson offers commercial space flights where people can see the Earth’s curvature for themselves, I won’t be convinced that Earth is a globe.”
The retired athlete didn’t stop there. He reiterated his stance while speaking on the “Macklin’s Take” podcast, doubling down on his disbelief in the planet’s roundness. When questioned directly about whether he truly believed the Earth was flat, Froch responded with a challenge: “The problem is, I’ve tried to prove — and I invite anyone listening to try as well — prove conclusively that Earth is spherical. Demonstrate, with evidence, that the world is a globe.”
Co-host Matthew Macklin attempted to counter Froch’s claim with a real-world example involving global travel, explaining, “All I know is when Michael Conlan was boxing in Brisbane, we flew westward from Los Angeles, and after a 12-hour flight, we arrived in Brisbane. How could the Earth be flat if that flight path exists?”
Despite this logical point, Froch maintained his stance, responding with a confusing analogy. He said, “I could take a sheet of A4 paper and draw a diagram, marking the North Pole at the center of a flat Earth and the ice wall that supposedly exists along the entire southern boundary. You could still fly from LA to Brisbane in the same pattern, circumnavigating the flat surface, and end up in the same destination.”
Froch’s remarks have led to widespread reactions online, with many questioning his grasp of basic scientific principles. His controversial beliefs didn’t end with flat Earth theories. Froch has also been vocal about doubting the authenticity of the Moon landings, another extensively debunked conspiracy.
In a conversation with Action Network, as cited by the Daily Express, Froch cast doubt on the landmark Apollo 11 mission, the historic 1969 event during which Neil Armstrong famously became the first human to walk on the lunar surface. Froch dismissed the widely accepted account, suggesting the technology available at the time was insufficient for such a feat.
He said, “The equipment they supposedly used back then was no more powerful than a ZX Spectrum computer, which really wasn’t much by today’s standards. If we could allegedly send men to the Moon then, why can’t we do it now? Everything we’ve been told about the Moon landing feels fabricated.”
Froch continued, emphasizing his skepticism, “When you review the footage, the inconsistencies in the visuals, and the fact that NASA claims to have lost all telemetry data from the mission, it’s impossible for me to believe that man actually walked on the Moon. I think it was all an elaborate fabrication.”
His statements have ignited fierce criticism from scientists and the public alike, as both flat Earth theories and Moon landing denialism have been thoroughly discredited by decades of scientific research and firsthand evidence from astronauts and space agencies worldwide.