James DeGale and Paul Smith scheduled for Frank Warren anniversary card
James 'Chunky' DeGale will take on Paul Smith for the British super middleweight title on December 11, as a part of the Frank Warren card at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.
Since going pro in February 2009, DeGale, an Olympic gold medallist, has rallied a record of 8-0 with 6 KOs. With the help of Warren’s promotion, he’s become one of the biggest prospects in the British boxing world, and has already obtained the WBA International
super middleweight title.
Smith, 27, is 29-1, and the British super middleweight champion. He won the title last October against Tony Quigley, and represents a significant step up in competition for DeGale.
The fight will possibly headline a card held in recognition of Frank Warren’s 30th anniversary as a boxing promoter.
Sources say the card will also include Welshman Nathan Cleverly. Cleverly is coming off a convincing win over Karo Murat, which earned him a shot at the WBO light heavyweight title.
Cleverly is excited to fight WBO champion Juergen Braehmer, but Braehmer is currently incarcerated for assault. Should he fail to make an appeal for his 16-month sentence before December, Cleverly may be awarded the title by default outside of the ring.
Recently, DeGale and fellow British super middleweight prospect George Groves were thought to be working towards a fight, but efforts dissipated after Warren failed to respond to Hayemaker Promotions regarding a contract offer that he himself had initially
instigated.
Warren had offered Groves an opportunity to fight DeGale on the December 11 card, within a 24-hour deadline. Groves’s team, hurled back their own challenge to DeGale, allegedly offering him more money to fight Groves, but with a change of venues and dates.
DeGale declined the offer.
Groves, standing at 10-0 with 8 KOs, is the reigning Commonwealth super middleweight champion. He joined the Hayemaker promotional stable in 2008, which is run by WBA heavyweight champion David Haye.
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