NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Carl Froch (L) and Lucian Bute go face to face at a press conference to officially announce their super middleweight clash. On Saturday May 26th at Nottingham Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England - Froch, a two time champion, will challenge undefetaed Bute for the IBF's crown at 168-pounds.

Froch returns to the venue of his last UK fight, which was his Super Six opener against Andre Dirrell in November 2009. The Cobra left Nottingham to travel the globe tackling the cream of the super middleweight crop en route to his Super Six final with Andre Ward in Atlantic City in December.

“It’s great to be back in Nottingham – it’s been too long,” said Froch. “I am so pumped up for the fight and I’ve got to give Lucian Bute credit. I’ve given him stick in the past for not fighting the top opposition, he didn’t enter the Super Six but he beat who was put in front of him.

“He’s not often fought out of his hometown so to put his title on the line in my backyard he’s either very confident or very stupid – I think he’s very confident and he’s the champion, so why not be confident. I’m coming into the fight on the back of a loss, and when I did that after the Kessler defeat I was so tuned in to beating Arthur Abraham and it was a whitewash – and that’s how I feel about this fight.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Lucian – he is a top level athlete and so am I, there’s no needle between us and there doesn’t need to be, as the fight speaks for itself.”

Bute is the undefeated champion and is his trip to Nottingham is his tenth title defence and the 32 year-old is looking forward to locking horns with Froch in his hometown.

“Very happy and excited to be here today – I would like to thank Carl for accepting the fight and stepping in the ring with me,” said Bute. “Big fights take time to negotiate but I’m glad that this fight has come. Both Carl and I have had similar careers so far, for me it’s the right time to come away from home and defend my belt and in my heart I believe I will be victorious.

“I’ve been criticised for not fighting away from home. I remember when Joe Calzaghe fought away from home at the end of his career he received the respect he deserved for doing that and that’s what I am looking to do.

“Carl is a good strong aggressive fighter. He will have 9,000 cheering for him and not many for me. It has all the ingredients for a great fight.”

Tickets for Froch’s IBF World super middleweight title challenge to Bute are on sale now priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150 and £200 from the Capital FM Arena Nottingham website www.capitalfmarena.com and on 08444 124624. VIP packages priced at £300 are available exclusively from Matchroom Sport at www.matchroomboxing.com and 01277 359900. 

Tags: Carl Froch , Lucian Bute , photos , Bute-Froch , Bute vs Froch