By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch is growing more confident that a deal will be reached for a March showdown in Las Vegas in Las Vegas against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Froch has been out of action since a May knockout victory over George Groves before a crowd of 80,000 at Wembley.

"I'm more hopeful than ever that the fight will happen, hopefully at the end of March," Froch told Sportsmail. "There's a dispute between Chavez and Top Rank but the kid's got to fight. Sooner or later that will be resolved and when it does, I believe Froch-Chavez will be made. We have to make a decision and Froch can either ask for an exemption, fight [mandatory James] DeGale or vacate."