By Edward Chaykovsky
Carl Froch is hoping domestic foe James DeGale (20-1, 14KOs) can bring back a world title to the UK. This coming Saturday in Boston, in a Premier Boxing Champions main event, DeGale will face Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight title. Froch vacated the title earlier this year after expressing his disinterest and facing DeGale in a mandatory fight.
Froch won a controversial twelve round decision over Dirrell in 2009. He says DeGale is looking much better since losing a twelve round decision to George Groves, who Froch stopped twice, more than four years.
Froch is impressed with DeGale's recent performances, but points out that none of those opponents were top ten fighters in a loaded super middleweight division.
"One thing I think we all agree on is that James DeGale seems to have improved over the last few fights. In those two, against Marco Antonio Periban and Brandon Gonzales, he looked good. In fact he looked impressive and I hope that continues against Andre Dirrell. Let's not forget these two (opponents DeGale beat) are not ranked in the world's top 10. When he moves up to that level, the quality of opposition will improve dramatically in terms of toughness, fitness and desire," Froch wrote on Sky Sports.
"At the level he is at right now you can still put people on their bums so DeGale hasn't really done anything that has leapt out at me, but we might see it on Saturday.
DeGale seems to be punching harder and that self-belief is as good as I've seen it. He wants it more and as bad cliche's go, he does have that eye of the tiger. Of course he hasn't beaten a Mikkel Kessler, a Lucien Bute or a Jean Pascal yet, which is easy for me to say, but I will say the way he is beating the guys he's up against at the moment has been very impressive."
"He has improved ever since that George Groves loss. He seems to have shaken off the injuries and he seems confident in himself. He's looking really good. I hope we all see that confidence on Saturday night and he takes it to Dirrell. I would like to see DeGale push him back and while you can never be certain when trying to predict how a fight goes, he has been showing all the right signs. After all, it is his first world title shot and it's away from home, so I hope he steps it up again."