MATTHEW BARNEY has been granted the chance to take on arch-rival Carl Froch - and regain the British super-middleweight title.

The British Boxing Board of Control have ordered that Froch's next defence must be against Southampton's Barney, who previously vacated the same title after he beat Tony Oakey for the WBU light-heavyweight crown back in October, 2003.

Purse bids for the contest will open next month, with veteran Southampton fight promoter Jack Bishop looking into the possibility of trying to bring the fight to Barney's home fans at the Guildhall.

However, Bishop knows he would be up against some stiff competition from the Froch camp who will probably try to make the fight in his home city of Nottingham.

"A consortium are looking at it but we don't know yet whether it would be possible to pull it off," said Bishop.

A war of words, meanwhile, has been running between the two fighters for several months.

Barney just hopes Froch goes through with the fight.

He said: "It is great news and I just hope he goes through with fighting me. I've been made the mandatory challenger so he hasn't got any excuses now.

"He is always shouting his mouth off about being the best in Britain but he would totally lose all credibility if he doesn't take this fight.

"It is no good him talking about what he thinks he can do, he should back it up with actions.

"He is totally over-hyped. Who has Carl Froch ever beaten?

"I would love to fight him. I hope the fight can come to Southampton but I would be quite happy to do it in front of his home fans in Nottingham."

Froch, who promotes himself as 'Britain's most talented sportsperson', has been critical of Barney in the past, saying: "Surely Barney cannot realistically think he can beat me? He doesn't have the strength, heart or the ability.

"If he genuinely does think he has a chance then he is within his rights, but he would find out different. I would knock him out easily.

"He fights like a coward with all that running and holding. Granted he's got five gears, but four of them are for reversing.

"That said I am keen to retain my Lonsdale belt and Barney would be a good fight for my fans in Nottingham as they would get to see me score another spectacular finish."

Barney will enter the fight off arguably the best performance of his career, even though he was controversially beaten on points for the European light-heavyweight crown against the formidable German, Thomas Ulrich.

The 30-year-old jabbed his way to what looked a comprehensive victory only to be denied by an extremely disputed decision in front of Ulrich's home fans in Germany.

Froch, though, will also be full of confidence after beating Costa Rican Henry Porras in eight rounds at the Avalon venue in Hollywood last week.

The British Boxing Board of Control have given a deadline until the end of the July for the fight to take place.

Bishop is also planning a Guildhall show for Sunday June 26, which will almost certainly feature Lordshill heavyweight Colin Kenna.

Another Bishop fighter Dimi Donetskiy, meanwhile, suffered a narrow points defeat this week at the unbeaten hands of London's Anthony Small on a show in Leicester Square.