By Edward Chaykovsky
On Tuesday, Carl Froch (33-2, 24KOs) made his expected move to vacate the IBF super middleweight title. Froch had no interest in facing mandatory challenger James DeGale.
Froch, who also holds the WBA's 'regular' title at 168-pounds, wants to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on a June date in Las Vegas.
But there is another fight that equally excites Froch, a battle with 50-year-old legend Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2, 32KOs), who wants to move down from light heavyweight to capture another world title before retiring.
Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom is working on both possibilities, Hopkins and Chavez.
BoxingScene.com reported several weeks ago that there was heavy interest behind the scenes in a Froch-Hopkins showdown.
"The only option which really lit my fire was fighting in Nottingham and the City Ground," Froch said to the Nottingham Post. "That's probably equal, if not bigger, than fighting in Vegas because of what my home city means to me.
"It's something which has been on my career bucket-list and fighting Bernard at the home of Forest would probably be the biggest fight Nottingham has ever seen. The prospect of walking out at the City Ground, lights dimmed, heading to the ring knowing I would face one of the legends of boxing excites me like you wouldn't believe."