By Scott Gilfoid: New British super middleweight champion James DeGale (9-0, 7 KO’s) plans on going after one of the super middleweight champions next year next year in 2011. DeGale, 24, destroyed a badly over-matched Paul Smith in a 9th round stoppage on December 11th to capture the BBBofC super middleweight title. In that fight, DeGale, a former 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist for Britain, looked exceptional in taking apart Smith with combinations.

DeGale reminded me at times of a young Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson the way he threw his combination and fought so effortlessly. DeGale looked especially good at being able to fight backing up and against the ropes. He was able to land some really powerful hooks with his back against the ropes. It was a really special performance from the young star. I honestly believe DeGale has the makings of a future world champion, and I already think he’s more than good enough to beat World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight champion Carl Froch and WBO title holder Roberto Stieglitz.

Those two are what I consider the vulnerable weaker champions in the division. I think Andre Ward and Lucian Bute are probably too good for DeGale right now, even though Ward, also a former Olympic Gold Medalist, is about the same age as DeGale. Ward is just more advanced because of the better competition he’s faced since turning pro. Hopefully, DeGale is going to be put in with better and better fighters because guys like Paul Smith and George Groves aren’t what DeGale needs if he wants to keep improving. He needs better fighters than those guys so he can keep learning the game.

DeGale says “I think my plan would be to defend the British title a couple of times early in 2011, then move on to European, and try and get a world title shot at the end of next year.” I think DeGale should scrap the useless British belt, forget bout the Euro strap and move to the United States to hunt down a good trainer and start taking on some of the talented super middleweights over there.

It’s a waste to beat up on over-matched British opposition and the Euro title is the same. DeGale is way over their heads. It’s like being in an advanced calculus class and then someone putting you in a general math class with students struggling with long division. DeGale is better than this. He doesn’t need to be stunted. I say move over to the U.S. Let Froch and Groves fight it out in the UK, while DeGale takes the world honors. He doesn’t need to be held back with basic fighters.