by Edward Chaykovsky

IBF/WBA 'regular' super middleweight champion Carl Froch is hoping to finalize a showdown with Julio César Chávez Jr. in Las Vegas next year after revealing that his promoter, Eddie Hearn, is to hold talks this week. Froch has been inactive since knocking out George Groves at Wembley Stadium in May. Froch has been ordered to face IBF mandatory James DeGale, but much prefers to face Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas and is willing to vacate his IBF title to get there.

“Eddie Hearn is getting on a plane, I don’t know whether that is tomorrow or Wednesday, and he’s got a very important meeting with a guy called Al Haymon and hopefully there is going to be some news soon,” Froch told Talksport. “He is now looking after Chávez Jr. and apparently he is not under that contract [with Top Rank] any more. If that is the case and he is a free agent, then there is no reason that fight can’t happen early next year, maybe March or April.”

Froch added: “I would fight James DeGale if that warranted going to Vegas. Unfortunately, it would be at the O2 in [London] England and I have done it, I have been there. At 37, I think I should be entitled to say: ‘I fancy Las Vegas’.”