By Edward Chaykovsky

Promoter Eddie Hearn is now being set with the task of matching two of the bigger names in his stable, Carl Froch (31-2, 22KOs) and George Groves (19-0, 15KOs). The IBF has now installed Groves as the mandatory challenger and ordered Froch, the organization's current super middleweight champion, to fight him next.

The two fighters do not like each other and the tension grew to a new level after Groves joined the training camp of Mikkel Kessler as a sparring partner, as the Danish star prepared for the May rematch with Froch. 

IBF championship chairman Lindsey Tucker told The Sun: “Adonis Stevenson was the mandatory but got tired of waiting for the opportunity to fight Froch and moved up to light-heavyweight to box for the WBC title. Under the rules, when that happens we go down the list to see who is next. We got down as far as Groves and he has been made our mandatory challenger for Froch. The boxers will have until July 12 to come to an agreement. If they can’t, we will then call for a purse bid. The successful bidder would be notified by July 24 and we would expect the fight to take place 90 days later, which would take us to the middle of October.”