By Ben Jacobs

Tonight's bumper card in Liverpool is headlined by the rematch between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew.  However, the undercard features an interesting match up at super middleweight between the IBF mandatory challenger, James DeGale (19-1, 13 KOs) and Mexico's Marco Antonio Peribán (20-2-1, 13 KOs). BoxingScene caught up with DeGale's trainer, Jim McDonnell, to discuss the bout, the likelihood of facing Carl Froch and one or two other topics.

James has been brilliant, he's worked hard.  My level of expectations are mental.  The bottom line is, he didn't need to take this fight, it's a final eliminator for the world title, again.  James is different from any fighter that I've trained or met, he's got a different mentality.  He told me he wanted to box someone decent.  He's in a good frame of mind, in his last spar on Friday he sparred a good 15 rounds, he's in tremendous shape.  It's a matter of tapering this week and looking forward to Liverpool.  He just wishes it was Carl Froch in the opposite corner.  Touch wood, this will be his final fight before the world title.

BoxingScene:  What are your thoughts on Peribán?

Don't take notice of his last three fights in terms of results.  The level of opposition is quality. What I've noticed with Peribán is that he's not a typical Mexican fighter.  You visualise Julio César Chávez Sr or Salvador Sánchez, good body punchers, aggressive, but he fights more of a British style.  He's a good boxer, he's got a good jab, he can do what Mexicans do when he has to.  On paper this is the best kid James has boxed as a pro.  I was told before his last fight by people like Naseem Hamed, 'Why are you taking this fight?'  I said, 'It's a final eliminator.'  But because of James' status mentally, he's left nothing unturned.  He's taking nothing for granted and he knows what's on the line.

BoxingScene:  Do you expect him to come out swinging early?

Sometimes he does the fast start, sometimes he's on the back foot, other times he's looked really negative.  I was reading what he said online and he considers this his world title fight, he can't believe he has this opportunity after his last three fights.  You don't know how James is until you're in front of him, Peribán is going to get a massive shock.  This kid, the angles, the moves, the speed, the power, he's such a handful.  I can see why Froch doesn't want to fight him. Peribán is as tough as old boots but I think we could see the first stoppage of his career, but James is ready for 12 tough rounds. 

BoxingScene:  The Froch-DeGale fight doesn't seem any closer to happening.  Do you think Froch will eventually vacate the belt?

Yeah, that's my personal opinion.  I will be very surprised if he takes the fight because it doesn’t get any better for Carl Froch.  He's knocked out George Groves in front of 80,000 people.  He keeps talking about his legacy, beating Chávez, what does that mean?  But in his mind he thinks, beating James DeGale, what does that mean?  I can't see how he can better what he's just done but boxing is addictive, it's very hard to walk away, especially when you have million pound signs waved under your nose.  I wish Carl Froch all the best and James does as well.  People think he's obsessed with fighting Froch , he's not.  James says he doesn’t blame him for not taking the fight.  But to be honest, you've got the southpaw Gilberto Ramírez there and James said he's more worried about him.  All he wants is to create history, and Froch is holding up his journey.

BoxingScene:  Speaking of Ramírez, what's your opinion of him?  Is he a potential opponent for DeGale?

He's a southpaw, he's tall and a decent puncher.  I was looking at his record and I said to James, 'Who has he boxed?'  He's a prospect.  Don't be surprised if he doesn't want to fight James DeGale after he sees what he does to Peribán.  He'll think he can fight for the WBC world title, a Mexican based body.  I would be very surprised if he went the IBF route and boxed James.  As a trainer it's a harder fight to prepare for because with Froch you know what you get, but with this kid it's a nightmare getting sparring for him.  He's gangly, heavy handed and tall.  James is brilliant against southpaws, but I think they'll go the WBC route.

BoxingScene:  How do you see the main event between Nathan Cleverly and Tony Bellew?

I think it's a grudge match that's got the boxing public very interested.  The rematch is intriguing because both guys have moved up in weight.  Bellew's blowing off hot noises and Cleverly seems cool, calm and collected.  It's a fight that I'm looking forward to.  Can Cleverly take Bellew's power at cruiserweight?  Cleverly will think he's a smart operator and won't have to take his power.  He takes a lot of confidence from his speed and fitness, and I think Tony's a man who wants to hurt him and knock him out, but underneath Tony's clever as well and he wont let that ruin his performance.  I think it'll be very close, everyone says it wont go 12 rounds but I think it will.  If it does end early then you'd fancy Bellew.  It's a genuine 50/50 fight.  James thinks Bellew will do it cause it's in Liverpool and he's better at the weight and heavy handed, but Cleverly's said, 'Let's do it in Liverpool.'  That shows fortitude, that shows confidence and ambition.