Carl Froch has vacated his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-middleweight belt as he is recovering from an elbow injury that has trouble him at the start of 2015. "The Cobra" from Nottingham was due to face James DeGale, his mandatory challenger for the belt, but because of the injury he decided to vacate the belt.

DeGale, who earned the right to challenge Froch after beating Brandon Gonzalez in May 2014, will now fight for the vacant IBF super-middleweight title at London's O2 Arena on the 25th April.

Froch, 37, a four-time world champion in the super-middleweight division, has an incredible fight record - he has won 33 of his 35 fights, with 24 wins coming by way of knockout.

He is frustrated that, because of his injury, he also had to pull out from the long negotiated fight with Mexico's Julio Cesar Chavez, which was originally arranged for March. Although he now vacated the title, Froch is keen to defend it this summer, and wants the bout to take place either in his hometown of Nottingham against two-weight veteran champion Bernard Hopkins, 50, or in a show-piece fight in Las Vegas against Julio Cesar Chavez. Should he decides to retire after this match, the fight at the City Ground in Nottingham would definitely provide a great final swan song.

The title challenger DeGale, 29, is an Olympic Gold medallist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He started amateur boxing at the age of ten in a London club and soon acquired the nickname "Chunky".

He is a tough and tricky fighter who, as Froch, also has an amazing fight record - so far he has won 20 of his 21 fights. Since his gold Olympic medal, DeGale has been waiting in the wings for a shot at the world title and is keen to prove that he could be the first British Olympic gold medallist to also become a world champion.

He will take on American Andre Dirrell in his quest for a world title. The 31-year old from Flint, Michigan, who won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, is one of the top boxers in the super-middleweight category and the match on the 25th April will not disappoint; DeGale is ready and confident that he could make history.

An all British super - fight between the "Chunky" and the "Cobra" might still be a possibility later in the year!