by Peter Silkov
Carl Froch has been ordered to defend his IBF world super middleweight title against fierce domestic rival George ‘The Saint’ Groves by October. With former mandatory challenger Adonis Stevenson having jumped up to the light-heavyweight division and captured the WBC world title with his demolition of Chad Dawson, Groves has now been selected as the next in line most deserving of a mandatory shot.
Froch and Groves already have a burgeoning rivalry going, with Groves recently publicly asking for a shot at ’the Cobra’ but being told in no uncertain terms by the champion that he is as yet not worthy of a title chance. Froch has said that his preferred options for his next fight were either a rematch with former conqueror Andre Ward, or a third, deciding fight with Mikkel Kessler, now matters seem to have been taken out of the champions hands. The fact that both Froch and Groves are part of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable adds a little spice to any proposed fight between the two. Eddie Hearn has said that negotiations are taking place and that there will be an announcement next week on the immediate future of both boxers.
For Carl Froch the options are to either face Groves in what would be a big domestic world title fight or else give up the IBF title and fight a more lucrative opponent later this year, with an eye on perhaps facing Grove next year when a fight between the two would be even bigger if Groves is successful in picking up the vacant IBF title.
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