By Jim Dower: Newly crowned IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) and his promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport are ready to fulfill their contract with former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (30-1, 24 KO’s) and move on to fight Bute in Montreal, Canada if Bute wishes to take the fight.

It’s unclear whether Bute will do that, however, after being stopped in the 5th round of a one-sided fight from start to finish tonight in Nottingham, UK. Bute and Froch had a rematch clause for two fights between them. However, there’s an escape clause that losing fighter can supposedly back out if they see fit. Bute might choose to use that option rather than take another fight with Froch because there are seemingly too many holes in Bute’s game that needs to be worked out before he faces Froch again. Right now it would be a bad move on Bute’s part to take another fight with Froch because he’ll likely get stopped again.

Hearn said this after Froch’s victory tonight “We’re contracted to do a rematch with Lucian Bute and we’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

The reason why Bute might want to take the fight is because he has one fight left on his contract with Showtime in the United States. Showtime was saving that final fight on Bute’s contract for a bout against WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward. That’s obviously not going to happen now with Bute’s loss. Showtime will likely agree to use up their last fight of Bute’s contract with a Froch-Bute rematch because that’s the best they’re going to get with him now. Ward won’t touch him, and they’re few other options for him.

It’s extremely doubtful that Showtime will attempt to renew the contract with Bute, and I can’t see HBO looking to sign up Bute either. There was talk that Bute would leave Showtime when his contact expired and then sign on with HBO. I have a strong feeling that HBO won’t want Bute now.