Team DeGale Guarantee Purse of 4 Million To Carl Froch

By Edward Chaykovsky

2008 Olympic gold medalist James DeGale is placing additional pressure on Carl Froch to face him on January 31 at London’s O2 Arena. DeGale is the IBF's mandatory challenger to Froch's title. DeGale will first return next month in Liverpool against ranked contender Marco Antonio Periban of Mexico.

According to DeGale’s adviser, Ambrose Mendy, an offer of £4 million has been guaranteed to Froch for the January date. Froch reportedly earned around £9 million for May's knockout victory over George Groves before a crowd of 80,000 fans.

Mendy told Sunday Express: “Carl Froch is a tremendous fighter until you mention James DeGale. Would he have fought James DeGale three years ago? Yes, he probably would have done. However, will he fight James DeGale today for the £4m that we have guaranteed? No, he will not. I have got [promoter of Froch and DeGale] Eddie Hearn scared to the point that he won’t answer the phone.

“He has got to deliver answers. All that I am getting from James is ‘Froch, Froch, Froch’. He wants to create history by being Britain’s first Olympic gold medalist to become world champion. We have guaranteed him £4m to fight James DeGale – how on earth do you sneeze at that? You just don’t. He is saying he doesn’t know if it will do the numbers we have said."