IBF super middleweight titleholder Carl Froch reckons his dream of fighting in Las Vegas next year against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is still alive.

Ever since beating George Groves in May, for a second time, the 37-year-old Englishman has maintained he wants his next defense to be in the glamour capital of boxing, having never fought there during his career.

Froch (33-2, 24 knockouts) even stated he might retire if that lifelong ambition did not materialize. However, with Chavez Jr. the only viable opponent for Froch in Vegas – and locked in a legal dispute with Top Rank – the Nottingham star appeared to have hit a brick wall.

Until now, that is. On Monday, Froch revealed his promoter Eddie Hearn, of Matchroom, is flying to the States this week for talks with Al Haymon, who is now working with 28-year-old Chavez Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs).

“Eddie Hearn is jumping on the plane,” Froch said. “I don’t know whether that is tomorrow or Wednesday, and he’s got a very important meeting with Al Haymon and, hopefully, there is going to be some news soon. We’ll see.

“He is now looking after Chavez Jr. and, apparently, he (Chavez Jr.) is not under that contract [with Top Rank]. If that is the case, and he is a free agent, then there is no reason that fight can’t happen early next year – maybe in March or April. That’s the big one for me.”

One fight that will not be happening any time soon, according to Froch, is a defense against countryman James DeGale, the IBF mandatory challenger at 168 pounds. Froch made that quite clear on Saturday while working for Sky Sports covering the Cleverly-Bellew II show in Liverpool, which included DeGale’s third round TKO of Marco Antonio Periban. He reiterated the point on TalkSPORT.

“I would fight James DeGale if that warranted going to Vegas,” said Froch. “Unfortunately, it would be at The O2 in England and I have done it, I have been there. At 37, I think I should be entitled to say: ‘I fancy Las Vegas.'”

Froch, meanwhile, has been named among the 10 nominees for the BBC’s 2014 Sports Personality of the Year award but is no more than a 100-1 outsider to win the prestigious honor, which will be voted for by the British public during a live TV broadcast next month. World No. 1 golfer Rory McIIroy, of Northern Ireland, and new Formula 1 motor racing world champion Lewis Hamilton, from England, are clear favorites.

“It’s an honor to be named in the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year,” said Froch, THE RING’s No. 1-ranked super middleweight. “It would cap an incredible year to win it, but just to be next to those great names that have achieved so much this year is fantastic. I am really looking forward to traveling to Scotland in December and taking part in one of the seminal nights in the British sporting calendar.”

Harry Pratt is on Twitter: @gharrypratt