DeGale: I Can't Wait To Stick One on Andre Dirrell

By Edward Chaykovsky

Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale (20-1, 14KOs) is only a few days away from the biggest fight of his career, when he faces Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight in a Premier Boxing Champions main event from Boston, Massachusetts.

DeGale has not exactly been a fan favorite in the UK.  But he feels a victory over Dirrell and bringing back a world title to the British fans will change his popularity around.

It won't be an easy fight with many labeling the match as a true 50-50 encounter. Several years ago, during the Super Six tournament, DeGale's countryman Carl Froch struggled to win a controversial decision over Dirrell, which is still his only career defeat.

“I’d like to think that once I win this title I will be appreciated,” he told The Independent on Sunday before leaving for a training base in Miami last week. “It’s been a hell of a battle. Remember my first pro fight when I was booed? That was embarrassing and stupid. I guarantee they won’t be booing me now. Now my career and my life are back on track and I am obsessed with making history.”

“But it’s a lot of pressure and I’m up against it with Dirrell. He’s a good fighter, an Olympic medallist from 2004, a tricky switch-hitter. I reckon the second half of the fight is going to be hard and a bit dirty. I can’t wait to get out there and stick one on him.”