James DeGale has revealed the prospect of seeing Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko does not 'excite' him because of a preference to see him fight 'real champ' Tyson Fury.
The match-up at Wembley Stadium on April 29, for Joshua's IBF title and the WBA, IBO belts Fury recently vacated, is expected to attract a British post-war record fight crowd of around 90,000.
It features one of the finest heavyweight champions in history challenging a boxer expected to prove himself the best of the coming era, but for all that DeGale considers Joshua the world's leading active heavyweight, he cannot ignore the shadow Fury casts over their fight.
Fury vacated his WBA, IBO and WBO titles in October for 'medical treatment and recovery' after struggling with mental health problems, but before then was widely considered the world's leading heavyweight, having in 2015 inflicted Klitschko's first defeat for 11 years.
DeGale also believes that result will undermine the victory he expects Joshua to achieve in April.
'Everyone's making a big deal out of the fight; it's a good fight but Klitschko lost his last fight to Fury, the real champ is Fury,' said DeGale, who on January 14 fights Badou Jack in an IBF and WBC super-middleweight unification title fight in New York.
'It doesn't really excite me. I want to see it but I'd rather Anthony Joshua box Fury, that's all. Anthony Joshua's the man, a beast, he's the best heavyweight in the world now. I didn't mean to put the fight down, just I'd rather see Joshua fight the real champ. Anthony Joshua is a beast, he's a very good fighter, and is going to go on to be a superstar.'
Asked if Fury's win over Klitschko would reduce the credit Joshua may receive in the event of victory, he said: 'I think it is watered down, I think it will be. I expect Joshua to stop Klitschko, and look good in doing it.'
