By Edward Chaykovsky

Promoter Eddie Hearn has serious doubts about Lucian Bute's willingness to exercise his rematch clause with Carl Froch (29-2, 21KOs). On Saturday night in Nottingham, Froch gave Bute (30-1, 24KOs) a beating before the fight was eventually stopped in the fifth round.

There is a rematch clause which directs Froch to face Bute in his backyard of Montreal. Hearn expects Bute to take another direction before facing Froch for a second time.

“Let’s face it, would you want to want Carl Froch again after having just gone through that?  There is a rematch clause available to Bute and we will obviously honour it if they want us to do so, but I seriously doubt it will happen. My guess is Bute will want to re-group and come back again sometime later this year or next year. It was about as comprehensive as you can get," Hearn told Daily Express.