Nottingham's former two-time WBC super middleweight champion and recent Super Six runner-up Carl Froch has been made mandatory challenger for Lucian Bute's IBF super middleweight title. The announcement means Froch leapfrogs the IBF rankings ahead of undefeated US based Dominican prospect Edwin Rodriguez, former IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham and rugged veteran Librado Andrade, the man who has come closer than anyone to defeating the unbeaten Bute.

Following Froch's points defeat to American Andre Ward in the final of Super Six in Atlantic City last December, there were reports that he had signed an agreement with the tournament's creators - American cable giants Showtime TV for a two-fight, home and away deal with Bute. That deal now seemed unsubstantiated amid rumors that Showtime believed the two-bout series not to be financially viable.

However, 34 year old Froch's sudden elevation means at least one bout between the two is unavoidable, and Froch [28-2, 20 KOs] now hopes to challenge Bute for his IBF 168 lb belt at the Nottingham Arena on May 5, with the option of a return bout in Quebec later on in the year.

The sticking point is 31 year old Bute's immense popularity in Canada. Romanian born Bute [30-0, 24 KOs] has been based in Canada throughout his pro career, and his fan base in Quebec makes him one of the top-three box-office attractions in North America, behind only Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. His fights are always a sell-out, and his PPV figures are excellent, meaning he and his team are reluctant to fight outside of Canada.

Initially, Froch had booked the Nottingham Arena for a homecoming bout that he intended to use as a tuneup for his world title tilt at Bute, but as he has been made the IBF's mandatory challenger, Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn now believes there is a possibility he can lure Bute to Nottingham.

''I'm delighted that Carl has been installed as the mandatory for Lucian Bute's next bout.'' Said Hearn. ''Positive discussions have been ongoing with Interbox [Canada's equivalent of BoxNation] since the Super Six final and we hope to get this fight made. It is Carl's dream to have his next fight in the UK and that is something very important to both of us. After recent discussions, I believe we can bring Lucian here in May and we will be happy to give him the rematch in Canada once Carl has taken the IBF title from him.''

Before being elevated from the third place to top spot in the IBF rankings, there was speculation that Froch may have had to face Mexican brawler Librado Andrade in an eliminator in order to get a crack at the title. Andrade famously floored Bute late in the twelfth round of their bout in 2008, but his hesitancy to go to a neutral corner delayed the referee's count, and gave Bute precious seconds to clear his head and subsequently survived the round to take the decision. In the 2009 rematch, Bute knocked out Andrade in four rounds.

Froch remains arguably Britain's no.1 boxer - a former two-time WBC super middleweight champion who has beaten top quality fighters like Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham and Glen Johnson in world title fights while only losing to Andre Ward and Mikkel Kessler, but Lucian Bute is no slouch.

The 6'2" Romanian southpaw has held the IBF title since 2007, and has defeated the likes of Alejandro Berrio, William Joppy, Edison Miranda, Brian Magee, Jean-Paul Mendy and most recently score a landslide decision over Glen Johnson, winning all 12 rounds on two of the three judges scorecards. By comparison, Froch had a much tougher time with the veteran Jamaican in the Super Six semifinals, winning a majority decision in hard fight.

Both Froch and Bute are huge super middleweights who can box and punch. The Nottingham fighter has proved his mettle in cauldron bouts against the likes of Pascal, Taylor and Kessler, whereas the jury is still out on just how tough the Romanian truly is.

One thing is for certain, Froch and Bute are now on a collision course, and whether it be in Nottingham, Quebec or even Las Vegas, fight fans will soon find out just who is the better man.