By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch has advised Sky Sports News that he is confident that a rematch with Mikkel Kessler will take place in the Spring of 2013. There is rematch clause to face Lucian Bute in the first half of the new year, but Froch says the Bute fight will not happen in the coming months. Froch destroyed Bute in five rounds back in May, but he badly wants to avenge a twelve round decision loss to Kessler from 2010.

The fight with Kessler took place in the Dane's backyard of Denmark. Froch says the rematch is very likely to take place in the UK. Kessler holds the WBA "regular" title at 168.

"[Bute rematch is] a fight that may happen but it's not going to happen immediately. The next one is the Kessler fight, that's for sure," Froch said.

"My promoter Eddie Hearn is working very hard, he is talking to Team Sauerland who are Mikkel Kessler's promoters and it sounded very, very promising. They are very close to doing a deal. It looks like the fight may be done by late Spring this year. That is a big, big fight that everybody wants to see so I am looking forward to getting it on."

"We are going to get him over to UK soil. I don't think we'll get him to Nottingham but we'll get him certainly over here at home, so that rematch I very, very strongly believe I can win. I strongly believe I will defend my title. He has just won the WBA title by beating Brian Magee so I will add another belt to the collection which will be fantastic."