DeGale with promoter Eddie Hearn after IBF title triumph

James DeGale, rated No. 2 by THE RING at 168 pounds, will defend his IBF super middleweight title against Lucian Bute at the Videotron Center in Quebec, Canada, on Nov. 28.

In May, DeGale became the first Briton to add professional world title to his Olympic gold medal, when he outpointed Andre Dirrell in Boston. Now, for his first defense, the 29 year old travels across the Atlantic for the second time this year.

“I consider it a massive privilege to be fighting for Great Britain as a world champion,” said DeGale. “I’m very comfortable with fighting abroad. It is another challenge for me to overcome and in the future I can’t wait to defend my title in the United Kingdom.

“I’m lucky enough to have boxed in Canada when I took on Sebastien Demers in Quebec in 2013. I met some great people out there, it is a lovely country and I can’t wait to get back. I beat Demers in a couple of rounds and I’d take the same result again.

“Whatever happens, however I win, I’m coming back with my belt.”

The 35-year-old challenger is a former IBF titleholder and was, at one time, among the premier operators in this weight division.

“Bute is a world class, elite-level fighter, who kept his world title for five years,” said DeGale. “Anyone who can do that deserves some serious respect. I’m the champion and he will be very fired up trying to win back his old title, but I’m too young, too fast, and too skillful to let that happen.

“My trainer Jim McDonnell has always said getting the world title is hard, but keeping it is even harder. I’m under no illusions about this fight, but I’m also a massive believer in my own ability and I aim to show who the best super middleweight in the world is on November 28.”

Romanian-born Canadian Bute has other ideas and is gunning to win back his IBF belt in front of his own raucous supporters. Bute landed the crown in Montreal in 2007 at the Bell Center and held the crown over five years, with nine successful defenses, before Carl Froch took the title from him in May 2012.

“‘I am really happy to have this opportunity at this point of my career,” said Bute. “I lost my title in England against an English fighter and now, I will box in Quebec against another English boxer, for the same title I defended for five years. I am really motivated to regain the title I lost in 2012.

“The fact that the fight will take place in front of my fans in Quebec City, where I never lost, will be the factor that will make the difference. I give all my respect to the champion James DeGale for accepting to travel for his first defense, but the IBF belt will stay in Quebec November 28.”

Information courtesy of a press release issued by Matchroom Boxing

DeGale and Bute will meet at press conferences in Quebec and London this week, and ticket details will be released then. Tickets will be available from the Videotron Centre box office, on www.evenko.ca, at GYM (514) 383-0666, at InterBox (450) 645-1077 or at Champion boxing club (514) 376-0930.