• Boxing

Froch gives up on Calzaghe, expects Bute fight

ESPN staff
August 26, 2011
Lucian Bute has defended the IBF title on eight occasions © PA Photos
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WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch has apparently abandoned his dream of facing Joe Calzaghe next year, revealing that he expects to fight IBF king Lucian Bute instead if he beats Andre Ward in his next fight.

Froch has outlined plans for a homecoming showdown at the City Ground post-Ward, and suggested he was targeting a showdown against Calzaghe if the Welshman was willing to end his retirement.

If the Calzaghe bout proved a non-starter, the most likely option looked to be a rematch with Mikkel Kessler, who took Froch's unbeaten professional record in Denmark last year. But now it seems Froch, who will be the WBA and WBC champion if he overcomes Ward, will look to add the IBF crown to his collection.

"That's what it's looking like, the winner of this tournament will be immediately matched up with IBF champion, Lucian Bute," Froch told boxingscene.com.

Romania's Bute is unbeaten from his 29 professional bouts and has made eight defences of his championship - although he has not faced the same calibre of opposition as Froch in recent years.

Froch fights former Olympic champion Ward on October 29 in Atlantic City, with the winner set to be crowned the champion of the Super Six Classic competition.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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