BOXING DeGALE’S OP FOR IT!
James’ surgery dilemma after Smith cold shoulder
JAMES DeGALE is considering a shoulder operation after potential opponent Callum Smith chose to fight Anthony Dirrell instead.
IBF super- middleweight champion DeGale hoped to defend his title against British super- middleweight champ Smith this summer.
But the Scouser has elected to face Dirrell for the vacant WBC crown in Los Angeles in September.
That has left DeGale without a fight that gets his juices flowing and he is giving serious thought to going under the knife.
Should he decide to go down that route, he will hope to be back in action around the end of the year.
Perfect
DeGale, 31, admits he will need surgery to his right shoulder. And there is a feeling within his camp that now would be the perfect time.
Should Smith beat Dirrell, it would set up a mouth-watering clash between two British world champions.
Meanwhile, DeGale’s 2008 Great Britain team-mate Billy Joe Saunders (right) insists he won’t take Avtandil Khurtsidze lightly.
But the WBO middleweight champion still expects to beat the 38- year- old Georgian without a fuss at London’s Copper Box Arena on July 8.
Saunders, 27, said: “I’ve been out in Spain getting ready, training very hard for this fight.
“I know Khurtsidze isn’t going to come over here and just give up. Deep down I know that he is a hard fight for anybody. “I have said some things, but you say a lot of talk just to get in their head. “I know he is a very strong fighter and a good puncher – but he hasn’t even got a jab. “I’m the WBO middleweight champion of the world and if I can’t beat someone who doesn’t have a jab then I don’t belong in boxing, it’s as simple as that.”
Saunders has been training alongside former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury.
Drugs
And he reckons his old mate is starting to put his battle with depression and recreational drugs behind him.
Saunders said: “Tyson seems to have got his head back on t he game again. He motivated.
“Tyson was up every morning running with us. He was putting in just as much work as me and I’m really happy to see him back on track.“
Fury had hoped to return to the ring as early as September or October.
But that could now be delayed as he sweats over the return of his boxing licence. is