By Terence Dooley

James DeGale, 23, goes into this Saturday's fight against Ciaran Healy with the praise of promoter Frank Warren ringing in his ears.  DeGale is stepping up a little in this fight, Healy has fought the likes of Jamie Moore in recent times, the Belfast man will be a tough test for the Londoner.

DeGale struck gold at the Olympics last year, and hopes to convert that golden success into a glittering professional career.  Warren told the Daily Express that DeGale is the future of British boxing.

“Amir Khan hopes to win a world title on July the 18th and we’ve got the Olympians coming through as well and hopefully they will be the future of British boxing because there’s a gap there at the top now,” explained Warren. 

“Joe Calzaghe has retired and Ricky Hatton might be doing the same.  Hatton’s best days are behind him – if he can’t see that he’s got to be Stevie Wonder – and Carl Froch has done well, but he’s 32 and not the future of British boxing at 32.  So there’s a chance for the likes of James to step up and become our new boxing stars because we need them.”

DeGale-Healey takes place on the undercard of Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title contest challenge to Andreas Kotelnik.  The event will be staged at the MEN, with Sky Sports PPV televising.

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