By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn is over the moon with excitement about the upcoming clash between his fighter James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) and American Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) on May 23rd at the Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Hearn sees the possibility of the 29-year-old DeGale scoring a stoppage of Dirrell at some point in the fight.

It’s an interesting prediction though, because Dirrell has never stopped before and many people believe that he defeated a better fighter than DeGale in Carl Froch in their fight in 2009. Dirrell definitely got the better of Froch in that fight. However, Hearn thinks Dirrell isn’t the same fighter he was back then, as he thinks he’s aged. I personally have no clue what Hearn is talking about, because Dirrell looks like a much better fighter now than he was back then.

Dirrell looks like he’s hitting harder, he’s staying in the pocket more, and he’s a lot more aggressive. The hand speed and incredible defense is still there for Dirrell. I believe he’s improve by a substantial amount where he would even be a threat to beating the super middleweight division’s best fighter in Andre Ward.

“We wanted to fight over here; now it’s going to Boston,” Hearn said via IFL TV. “It’s a great fight, two top 168 pounders. I believe he’s [DeGale] going to do his business. I believe he’s going to stop Andre Dirrell.”

I believe it’s a pipe dream on Hearn’s part to think that DeGale can even hope to score a stoppage win over Dirrell. It’s just not going to happen. Can DeGale knockout guys like Brandon Gonzales, Marco Antonio Periban, and Gevorg Khatchikian? Yes, he definitely can, but we’re talking about 2nd tier fighters and not a quality guy like Dirrell.

You would expect DeGale to be able to beat the C-level guys like those fighters, because if he can’t do that then he doesn’t deserve to be ranked in the top 15. But there’s a wide difference between those fighters and Dirrell. I think that’s what DeGale and Hearn are going to find out on May 23rd when DeGale gets inside the ring with Dirrell.

“You go and ask Carl Froch that,” DeGale said via the Mirror.co.uk. “Please God I go over to America and win my world title, and then I’m willing to fight anyone. I’ve always said I’m in boxing for the big fights and the big paydays, so I’m ready to fight anyone. But first things first, that’s going over to America and beating Dirrell in a hard fight – but one I’m confident of winning.”

DeGale has a chance of scoring a stoppage only if he fights better than he ever has before. I don’t think that’s too likely. If there is going to be a stoppage in the fight, it pains me to say that it will be Dirrell that scores the knockout. He punches harder, he’s faster and arguably has the better talent of the two. His blinding punches are going to be difficult for DeGale to track, and I can see him catching DeGale with a shot that he doesn’t see coming. Once that happens, I think DeGale will be ready to be knocked out.