DeGale will fight for vacant world title

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James DeGale will fight for the vacant IBF world super-middleweight title at the O2 Arena on 25 April after Carl Froch opted to relinquish the belt.

Harlesden’s DeGale, whose 29th birthday is today, was the mandatory challenger to face Froch, who recently pulled out of a planned Las Vegas clash with Julio Chavez Jr because of an elbow injury.

And the Nottingham man, who twice defeated DeGale’s west London rival George Groves, has given up the title rather than face another domestic showdown.

The IBF have indicated that DeGale will face Andre Dirrell – a highly-rated American whose only loss was a narrow points defeat against Froch in 2009 – for the title.

Carl Froch
Froch has always been reluctant to face DeGale rather than Chavez Jnr

“It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks with terms agreed for the Chavez fight only for me to be unable to proceed in camp due to injury,” said Froch, who also holds the WBA belt.

“I know what it’s like to wait for a shot and I didn’t want to hold James up in fighting for a world title.”

DeGale earned his title shot by demolishing Brandon Gonzales at Wembley last May in a final eliminator.

And in November, he also crushed former world title challenger Marco Antonio Periban of Mexico.

DeGale is aiming to become the first Olympic gold medalist to win a world title.

“It’s been a long time coming but I will be fighting for the world title and making history. I don’t care who I have to fight to do it,” he said.

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