Froch’s ‘devastating beating’ may have ended Bute’s career

Carl Froch fears he may have ended Lucian Bute’s career after delivering a “devastating beating” which crowned him a three-time world champion while crushing his opponent’s unbeaten record.

The Englishman snatched Bute’s IBF super-middleweight title with a superb fifth-round stoppage in Nottingham on Saturday night and is now contracted to travel to Canada, where Romanian Bute is based, to defend the belt in a rematch.

However, the 34-year-old believes Bute may never fight again, let alone step into the ring for a second dose.