Carl Froch v Lucien Bute

IBF Super-Middleweight World Title 

26 May 2012

Nottingham's Carl Froch is the new IBF Super-Middleweight World Champion after he produced a scintillating hometown display to stop unbeaten Romanian Lucian Bute in the fifth round.

The Capital FM Arena packed out to see 'The Cobra' put on his greatest fight yet to become a three-time World Champion and end Bute's reign at the top of the IBF division. 

Both fighters went into the bout just seven ounces apart and the lighter Brit looked fierce from the first bell landing a stunning left-hook which rocked his southpaw counterpart. From that moment on Bute rarely threatened and Froch outclassed his opponent over four strong rounds with continuous onslaughts, unloading multiple left-right combinations.

Bute staggered through the third round on the back of a brutal 90 second assault from the home fighter before somehow completing the fourth. It was all in vain, though, as he was finished off when Froch's power finished his bloodied opponent, referee Earl Brown halting the damage. 

Froch's victory goes some way to putting right the disappointment of Super Six defeat against Andre Ward last December and possibly setting up an enthralling rematch, should Bute pass up his return clause as expected.