Hearn: DeGale-Gonzales winner will face Froch vs. Groves 2 winner for IBF 168lb title

By Boxing News - 04/10/2014 - Comments

By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn says he wants to match the winner of the May 31st IBF super middleweight eliminator bout between James DeGale (18-1, 12 KO’s) and the unbeaten Brandon Gonzales (18-0-1, 10 KO’s) with the winner of the Carl Froch vs. George Groves 2 fight in their next fight. Both DeGale-Gonzales and Froch-Groves 2 fights will be taking place on the same fight card on May 31st at the Wembley Stadium in London, UK.

It’s already understood that the DeGale vs. Gonzales winner will get an eventual shot at the IBF 168lb title, but what wasn’t known is when. With the winner of that fight likely to be DeGale, it’s easy to see Froch choosing to delay as long as possible a title defense against DeGale if he winds up as his IBF mandatory challenger.

“James DeGale – facing Brandon Gonzales in an IBF final eliminator on Froch vs Groves card – to face the winner,” Hearn said on his twitter on Thursday.

With the money that Froch and Groves are making, they might as well just fight a third fight instead of taking a risky fight in between.
Johnny Nelson says he thinks Froch might choose to retire rather than take the fight with DeGale. “Don’t be surprised if Froch says ‘I’ve got nothing to prove, I’m out of here.’ Don’t be surprised,” Nelson said to IFL TV.

Nelson sees there being no real loss with Froch gone, because DeGale will be there to fill the void for a fight against Groves. What Nelson doesn’t say is what happens if neither DeGale nor Groves are good enough to hold down a world title belt. I don’t imagine either of them will want to tangle with Andre Ward, so they won’t worry about losing whatever strap they grab in a fight against him. But with guys like Anthony Dirrell still around, and Andre Dirrell talking about a comeback real soon, those guys could find themselves struggling as contenders.



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