IT’S WIN OR BUST FOR GOLDEN BOY

GOLDEN BOY James DeGale admits he will quit if he cannot win back his world title.

DeGale faces Caleb Truax in a rematch for his IBF supermiddleweight crown after surprisingly losing to the American journeyman in December and says he will be finished if he is beaten again.

DeGale (right), 32, was the first British fighter to win Olympic gold and a world crown and is adamant his story will not end against Truax in the early hours of tomorrow at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

“I do feel under pressure, but it’s pressure I put on myself,” said the southpaw.

“If I can’t get my title back and I can’t beat him, then I would have to consider my options and I’m pretty sure I would give up because that means I’ve gone backwards.

“If I can’t beat Truax then I’ve got to knock it on the head. I’m a realist. I’m very true to myself, if I can’t do this then I will call it a day.

“I know I have the desire, it’s still burning inside me. I still believe I’m the best out there. I’ve got to show that to everyone on Saturday.”

DeGale, who is 23-2-1, admits he was complacent against Truax and that he returned too soon from surgery to reconstruct his shoulder.

“This time has turned me into a beast,” he said. “I’ve had to take everything even more seriously than before.

“I might have been a bit complacent being a champion those last few years. I looked past him and I came back too quick from the injury. But I’ve locked myself down and I’m ready to go.”

Victory would put DeGale in line to fight the winner of George Groves’ World Boxing Super Series Final against Callum Smith, but the Londoner refuses to look past Truax this time.

“There are a lot of big fights out there for me, but I don’t want to think about GrovesSmith yet,” he added.

“I’m taking this guy extremely serious, but I believe I’m far too good for him.”