IBF super-middleweight champion, James DeGale, is relishing the task of beating former champion Lucien Bute in his Canadian backyard on November 28, claiming that when he does so he wants the big names in the division next.
DeGale, newly signed to Al Haymon and coming off of his triumphant title win over Andre Dirrell in Boston back in May, is venturing out of the UK once again to fight the 35 year old Bute, who was knocked out by Carl Froch back in 2012 and is fighting to save his career against the Beijing 2008 gold medalist.
“You can see what kind of man I am; I’m going to Canada to give Lucian Bute a chance to box for my world title,” DeGale said to Sky Sports without referencing it’s also the place that makes most financial sense for him right now.
“I want the big fights, I want to unify titles. First I have to beat Bute and he wants his old belt back. [But] I’m too young, too fresh, and too good. Much too good.”
There is a sense of “this is his time” about DeGale at the moment , and one can’t help but wonder who else at 168 lb can really deal with the tricky southpaw and the momentum he is seeking to build. For a first defence, Bute isn’t a bad option. A former champion, who consensus admittedly says is faded, it’s worth remembering he did hold his belt for 9 successive defences until he came to the UK and ran into Carl Froch, and DeGale does deserve credit for boxing away again when he doesn’t have to, irrespective of the money.
However Bute has been pretty inactive of late, barring his 4 round blowout of Andrea Di Luisa in August, and the fighter who walked into his 175lb showdown with Jean Pascal in Jan of last year looked like Carl Froch had indeed taken his soul that night in Nottingham, such was his shallow showing.
Of course, DeGale’s bitter rival George Groves would say “Chunky’s” boxing away because he doesn’t have the profile here in the UK, and isn’t really ALL that far removed from his dark days boxing in the Bluewater shopping centre under Mick Hennessy. Yet one cannot deny the renaissance DeGale has enjoyed under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport, and crucially, boxing’s ‘power-man,’ Al Haymon, and one hopes this fight with Bute is the stepping stone it should be on to the bigger fights in the division that he claims he wants.
WBO titlist Arthur Abraham fights Britain’s Martin Murray on November 21st, and one suspects Andre Ward’s WBA strap will be vacant soon as he makes the move to 175 good and proper. WBC titlist Badou Jack, fresh off his win over Groves, is also more than a winnable fight for the Harlesden Olympian, yet first he has this fight with Bute to worry about in Canada.
Let’s see what Lucien really has left first and if “Chunky” really is the Truth at 168….
Twitter @Undilutedpoison
