Froch - Bute is either confident or very stupid

Carl Froch has labelled Lucian Bute either confident or stupid after coming face-to-face with him for the first time.

The former two-time WBC world super-middleweight champion made the admission at a press conference at Nottingham's Capital FM Arena, which will stage his hotly-anticipated world title challenge on May 26, today [March 19].

Bute, a 30-fight [24 stoppages] unbeaten Montreal-based Romanian who's considered the number two at the weight after Andre Ward, has long been criticised by the fearless East Midlander for his reluctance to square-off with the elite at 12st and step outside of his adopted Canadian home, where he's fought and won on 25 occasions.

But Froch, who traveled the traditional English, British and Commonwealth route prior to winning the WBC belt in 2008, has admitted he respects the stylish southpaw, 32, for stepping outside of his comfort zone to make the tenth defence of the IBF strap he won with an eleven-round stoppage of Andre Berrio five years ago.

"I've got to give him a lot of credit," conceded the 34-year-old father of one, 28-2 (20). "I've given him some stick in the past for not fighting the best around, like I've done since i won my first world title here [at the 9,000-capacity arena in Nottingham city centre], and not leaving Canada to have a real test.

"But he's coming to my hometown to defend his world title and that either means he's very confident or very, very stupid. In truth, he will be confident as he's a champion. And he'll probably think he's seen a few weaknesses and that he can exploit them. Again, he's very much mistaken.

"I'm ready for this and am pumped at the chance to win a third world title. I'll have the backing of almost 10,000 Nottingham, Midlands and British boxing fans on the night, at a venue I've gone 12-0 at. 

"No trash will be talked beforehand but it's going to be a very bad night for him - especially when i take his title," he roared.

Image courtesy of Matchroom Boxing.