By Scott Gilfoid: Former 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) isn’t worried in the least about fighting British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) in front of a hostile crowd on December 11th when he takes on the 29-year-old Smith at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside. The 24-year-old DeGale doesn’t care that Smith will be fighting at home in front of thousands of supporters. DeGale, speaking to Frankwarren.tv, says “I think it’s fair to say I’m going into the lion’s den. But the stick that Jimmy McDonnell gives me in the gym means that I don’t care where I fight, it gives me a break. Jimmy’s on me all the time, telling me I need to buck up my ideas, so having all those people screaming abuse won’t make any difference.”

Besides that, DeGale is just much too talented for Smith. It doesn’t matter how many screaming fans there are out there for Smith, DeGale is just a level or two above Smith and this is a fight that DeGale can basically win in his sleep. I’ve seen Smith fight many times, and he looks so average. I think he lost the fight to Tony Quigley and he looked awful in his win over Tony Dodson in March. It was like Smith’s shoelaces were tied together all night long. He was constantly falling forward and grabbing Dodson after missing punches.

It was one of those fights that require a great deal of coffee and patience to watch. If it was just that fight, I could excuse Smith. But he looked just as bad against Quigley. Smith’s footwork and accuracy just isn’t there. He also doesn’t have much power or hand speed. DeGale is going to badly school him and I can see a stoppage win for DeGale. If the fight does go 12, I think Smith is going to take terrible punishment along the lines of Shannon Briggs in his recent loss to WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. I just hope Smith’s corner pulls the plug on him when he starts getting battered senseless against the ropes.