IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale, has stated that he would happily fight avoided middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, should the big-hitting Kazakh decide to make the jump up to 168.
DeGale most recently defended his title against Lucian Bute in Canada, in a gutsy display that he hopes leads to a unification fight with WBC 168 champion Badou Jack, though for all the perceived faults the gold medal winning British Olympian has out of the ring, one thing he will do is fight anybody inside of it – including the avoided Golovkin – displaying a refreshing attitude in today’s often fragmented, ‘cherry-picking’ climate.
“If Golovkin stepped up and wanted to fight me then why not? I’ve always said I’m in boxing for the big fights and all the titles, so if he moves up and he wants to fight me – let’s do it,” DeGale said to Sky Sports.
“He’s a bit of a beast Golovkin, he is good. But as I say, I’m confident of getting in the ring and boxing anyone.
“Golovkin has been put up there – pound-for-pound one of the best in the world – but once I have done all my training, I’ve trained hard and I get in the ring, I’m confident of beating anyone.,” he added.
For the time being at least, Golovkin is preoccupied with his own unification quest at 160, seeking out fights with new WBC middleweight champ ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, as well as the winner of this month’s WBO clash between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, and it’s a desire shared by DeGale at 168, with Badou Jack being his primary target for 2016.
“[Jack] is the dream fight. If we can make that in the early part of next year, that would be the fight that I would want, 100%,” DeGale said. “I think it’s a winnable fight and it’s a big fight for me.”
A DeGale/Jack unification in Las Vegas next year should be easy enough to put together seeing as both men are ‘advised’ by PBC brainchild Al Haymon, and a fight there would continue DeGale’s theme of boxing in North America since winning the title, an endeavour he has undertaken in earnest as he continues to raise his international profile and secure the biggest possible paydays.
I can think of a few British fighters who could follow suit, mentioning no names, of course ;)
Twitter @undilutedpoison
