NOTTINGHAM — Carl Froch declared he is ready for rematches against Lucian Bute, Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward after an impressive first defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-middleweight title Saturday. Froch destroyed American challenger Yusaf Mack in three rounds at the Capital FM Arena for his second successive stoppage win in what is his third reign as a world champion. The Briton dismantled Canada-based Romanian Bute in five rounds to win the IBF belt in May and a return fight has been discussed for Montreal on March 30. Froch, 35, is also keen to avenge his points defeats to Mikkel Kessler in 2010 and to Andre Ward last year. Froch blamed his preparation for losing to Ward, who holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) titles, but feels his demolition of Mack proves he deserves another world title unification clash with the American. “I think I'm at my peak physically now and I can put it right against Kessler and put it right against Ward,” Froch told a press conference. “I will be ready to fight again in March, whether it's against Bute or Adonis Stevenson. I haven't got time to waste.” Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn said a fight against mandatory challenger Haiti-born Canada-based Adonis Stevenson is another possibility for Froch's next fight and is hopeful of a rematch with Ward in England. Mack, 32, looked destined for his fifth stoppage loss after tumbling to the canvas from a left to the jaw. The challenger survived the storm in the first round but he was shaken by a heavy right at the end of the second round. Froch's fellow Englishman and sparring partner Tony Bellew edged closer to world title contention with a unanimous points win over Argentina's Roberto Bolonti, but had to contend with a gruesome cut above his right eye from the third round. Bellew, 27, had been on the verge of a stoppage win after flooring the Argentine twice before he suffered the cut that left the fight close to being halted. But Bellew boxed smartly to avoid further damage to the eye and triumphed by scores of 120-106 twice and 119-107 to claim the fringe WBC silver light-heavyweight belt in what was also a world title eliminator. Viloria stops Marquez In Los, Angeles, Brian Viloria stopped Hernan Marquez in the 10th round Saturday to add Marquez's World Boxing Association flyweight world title to his own World Boxing Organization belt. Filipino-American Viloria knocked down Marquez with a right late in round one and continued to dominate the early rounds. Mexico's Marquez came alive in the fifth, unleashing a battery of blows but Viloria weathered the storm and sent Marquez to the canvas again. When Viloria sent Marquez down a third time in the 10th with a left to the head, Marquez's corner threw in the towel and the referee stopped the bout at 1:01 of the round. In New Jersey, Adrien Broner stopped Antonio DeMarco in the eighth round to take the WBC lightweight championship. Broner (25-0, 21 KOs) dominated from the outset, punishing DeMarco (28-3-1, 21 KOs) until DeMarco's corner mercifully threw in the towel. Referee Benji Esteves stopped the fight at 1:49 of the eighth round. — Agencies
