Britain’s James DeGale defends his International Boxing Federation super middleweight title Saturday against former champion Lucian Bute in a showdown of southpaws at the Romanian’s home base of Canada.
DeGale, 21-1 with 14 knockouts, seeks his 12th win in a row in the first defense of the vacant crown he seized by edging American Andre Dirrell by unanimous decision last May.
“They think it’s going to be a boxing match, but it will be a destruction,” DeGale said. “I feel like a beast. It will be explosive. Place your bets. Trust me.
“Going to be six rounds, but it may be three.”
Bute, six years older than his rival at 35, has a 32-2 mark with 25 knockouts.
He held the IBF super middleweight title from 2007 until 2012, when he lost to Britain’s Carl Froch. A loss to Haitian-born Canadian Jean Pascal last year set Bute back but he comes into the fight off an August fourth-round stoppage of Italy’s Andrea Di Luisa.
“I have the power to knock him out and the skills to box him,” Bute said. “I’m just ready to become world champion again.”
DeGale promised a fast start and a quick early pace.
“Once he feels my power that will be it,” the Englishman said.
“I’m going to start fast and throw loads of punches. He’s great in the center of the ring, but I’m not going to stand there. It won’t be a chess match. I’ll start fast and we’ll see how he takes it.”
And DeGale said he had no problem coming to the fan base of the Romanian native, who has boxed out of Canada since his pro debut 12 years ago.
“I’m an old school fighter – I don’t mind travelling to fight in my opponents’ hometown,” DeGale said. “He was a great champion who has fought some great fighters so I should get kudos when I beat him.”
Bute, however, is counting on inspiration from home support to help him regain the crown.
“It’s a great opportunity to fight for my old belt in front of my hometown fans. I think they’ll push me toward the victory,” he said. “I’m looking forward to becoming world champion again.
“I think he’s the best super middleweight in the world right now, but I’m very confident in myself. I’m healthy, I feel great physically.”
DeGale said he is not particularly looking at fighting Froch if he beats Bute.
“Carl exposed him and I’ll finish him,” said DeGale. “But I don’t care about Carl Froch — he’s old. I’m the new champion. If he wants this belt, he’ll have to come get it.”