James DeGale v Andre Dirrell: I will be better than ever, warns Dirrell
DeGale v Dirrell due in the ring around 9.30pm BST
Friday 22 May 2015 11:34, UK
Andre Dirrell says he will be back to his best - and beat James DeGale.
The American super-middleweight is confident he will become the IBF world champion in Boston on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.
Dirrell is best-known for narrowly losing to Carl Froch back in September 2009 but has only boxed five times in the last five years.
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He has had neurology problems and while some suggest he has lost the desire to box at the very top, the man called The Resurrected has warned DeGale he is in perfect shape.
"No matter what happens you'll see the best of me," he told Sky Sports.
"I am ready to live up to my attributes and put on a great show. I'm very hungry. I want it... that bad! From the UK to the USA I want that damn belt in my arms.
"I want to begin my reign at the top because once I get up there, there's no going down."
The thing about boxing is if you can put on solid performance for 12 rounds straight, for 36 minutes straight, that is flawless, that's class, that's boxing
Dirrell also warned DeGale he is ready to go the full 12 rounds to win.
The 31-year-old, who won an Olympic bronze in 2004 compared to the British fighters gold four years later, has only gone the distance twice in his professional record of 24-1-KO16.
The first was against Froch when he lost the split decision but his second was his last fight in December in a one-sided points win over Derek Edwards.
"If it’s 12 rounds the thing about boxing is if you can put on solid performance for 12 rounds straight, for 36 minutes straight, that is flawless, that's class, that's boxing," he said.
"If I stop James early he is lucky. But if it goes 12 rounds that's when he has to pay. I will become the IBF super-middleweight world champion."
Watch DeGale v Dirrell live on Sky Sports 1, from 8.00pm, this Saturday. The fight is expected to start around 9.30pm BST.
