Rumour

[lefty]

There's a rumour going about that Degale will be fighting Bika on the liverpool show. No idea if there's any weight to it. Anyway, if it comes off, it actually is a decent fight to be fair. Worthy of the event being PPV? Probably not but it's a decent fight and i say that as someone that gives matchroom a fair bit of stick.

[jameswilson]

Yeah in one of Hearn's interviews he did mention that DeGales opponent was ranked 6th by someone and had fought for a World title recently. My immediate thoughts were Bika or Stieglitz but obviously there will surely be other candidates.

If it is Bika it will be by miles the best undercard fight.

[rio]

If it were Bika then Hearn would have said former world champion. No way Degale fights Bika with a potential Froch fight just round the corner.

[keirw]

Stieglitz is fighting Sturm so can't be him, what Hearn said narrowed it down a bit.
If not Bika it could be Rodriguez or Periban, possibly?

[lefty]

Yeah in one of Hearn's interviews he did mention that DeGales opponent was ranked 6th by someone and had fought for a World title recently. My immediate thoughts were Bika or Stieglitz but obviously there will surely be other candidates.

If it is Bika it will be by miles the best undercard fight.

Yeah wont be stieglitz I dont think. He's fighting sturm and he's got lucrative fight options out in Germany so he wouldnt even bother coming over here. Bika seems the one because he's coming off that loss so thus a bit desperate but also if he could beat Degale he might think he could get the froch shot.

[lefty]

Stieglitz is fighting Sturm so can't be him, what Hearn said narrowed it down a bit.
If not Bika it could be Rodriguez or Periban, possibly?

Didnt he say it was someone that had fought for a world title? Bika obviously was a world champion so i dunno what to make of that. Did Periban fight for the belt? I cant remember? Rodriguez is going up to light heavyweight i think.

[ScottDetonator]

More likely to be Marco Antonio Periban, lost against Bika for the vacant WBC last year. Lost 2 out of his last 3 and drawn the other. If any truth to it? Failing that a MW challenger moving up.

[Loftgroov]

I was guessing Edwin Rodriguez

[ScottDetonator]

I was guessing Edwin Rodriguez

I'd think too risky with Eddie needing the PPV Froch option. I'd favour Rodriguez over DeGale at this stage tbh.

[lefty]

I was guessing Edwin Rodriguez

I'm sure Rodriguez was going up to light heavyweight. Maybe he's changed his mind though.

[rio]

I predict it will be one of the following fighters next for degale:
1. Vera-Hearn loves a fighter from the division below. To be fair Vera will give it a good go but will be outclassed and stopped in the mid/late rounds.
2. Rodriguez (outside bet as this would be a 50/50 fight.....he gave ward a tougher fighter than froch imo)
3. Periban-The least appealing therefore the favorite imo
4. Bike-No chance, see rodriguez

[Andrew]

It will be a career middleweight for sure Bikas last fight was a horrible watch I skipped it.

First Direll fight though dirty was actually entertaining

[ALI]

I would say its between Rodriguez and Periban.

According to boxrec Rodriguex is fighting on 18th of this month. If actual, that would rule him out.

Periban is the favourite IMO.

Forget Bika, if it was him Hearn would have pitched it very different. Very dangerous fight too, not going to happen if theirs a Froch blockbuster on the horizon.

[lefty]

Yeah Periban does seem very likely. Cant really see him posing any real threat either.

[Furey]

Yeah Periban has hardly set the world alight in his last 3 fights but it is a step forward in comparison to much of Degale's recent competition.

Hearns got to get the balance right with Degale for his next fight.

1. He has to be in a fight where he's going to get worked and therefore improve as a fighter.
2. Froch v Degale is on the table, Degale has to look good in order to generate more interest and therefore make it a bigger fight should it come off.

[jameswilson]

Pretty sure it is Bika actually judging from the most recent IFL interview. They say he fought for the World title recently, in a very close fight and then Kugan said he saw it live. I mean I'm fairly sure he wasn't at Bika v Periban (Mallinagi v Broner undercard.) If Hearn said 'just lost the World title' then he may as well just come out and say it's Bika, because it would be so obvious, hence why I think he hasn't said that. No idea why he wants to hold back announcing that (he has said it is done,) because like I say, it's the best fight on the undercard by a mile.

[rio]

Pretty sure it is Bika actually judging from the most recent IFL interview. They say he fought for the World title recently, in a very close fight and then Kugan said he saw it live. I mean I'm fairly sure he wasn't at Bika v Periban (Mallinagi v Broner undercard.) If Hearn said 'just lost the World title' then he may as well just come out and say it's Bika, because it would be so obvious, hence why I think he hasn't said that. No idea why he wants to hold back announcing that (he has said it is done,) because like I say, it's the best fight on the undercard by a mile.

Hope your right. Would be a huge test for Degale. Bika is a tough fight for anyone. I still maintain he gave 2 of the best super mids ever, calzaghe and ward one of there toughest nights. He may not be the fighter he was back then, he has been in a lot of wars that have clearly had an effect on him buts he is still a great fight for degale.

[hurlock]

Be great & a great way of dirrell not wanting anything to do with him

[danamba7]

Have IFL been at a Periban fight as one of the clues was that Kugan had seen the opponent live?

[keirw]

Have IFL been at a Periban fight as one of the clues was that Kugan had seen the opponent live?

If Bika vs Periban was on the Paulie vs A B card then he may have been there as I can vaguely recall Kugan doing an interview with A B where he got the slapper who he and Paulie were both nailing on loud speaker,
have to assume that interview took place in the states, in the build up to Paulie vs A B.
I could check, of course, but I can't be bothered and I'm sure they will announce opponent today anyway

[ERIC GUY]

There's a rumour going about that Degale will be fighting Bika on the liverpool show. No idea if there's any weight to it. Anyway, if it comes off, it actually is a decent fight to be fair. Worthy of the event being PPV? Probably not but it's a decent fight and i say that as someone that gives matchroom a fair bit of stick.

who told you this rumour? anyone actually involved at matchroom?

[Parson Cross]

Come on Eric you know the score.
Maybe Matchroom need to look inwards.
Stuff gets out of there like a colander - but half of it is just not true.

[The Law]

Have IFL been at a Periban fight as one of the clues was that Kugan had seen the opponent live?

If Bika vs Periban was on the Paulie vs A B card then he may have been there as I can vaguely recall Kugan doing an interview with A B where he got the slapper who he and Paulie were both nailing on loud speaker,
have to assume that interview took place in the states, in the build up to Paulie vs A B.
I could check, of course, but I can't be bothered and I'm sure they will announce opponent today anyway

Periban fought against Love on the Mayweather/Maidana 1 undercard in May. I presume IFL were in attendance?

[danamba7]

Have IFL been at a Periban fight as one of the clues was that Kugan had seen the opponent live?

If Bika vs Periban was on the Paulie vs A B card then he may have been there as I can vaguely recall Kugan doing an interview with A B where he got the slapper who he and Paulie were both nailing on loud speaker,
have to assume that interview took place in the states, in the build up to Paulie vs A B.
I could check, of course, but I can't be bothered and I'm sure they will announce opponent today anyway

Periban fought against Love on the Mayweather/Maidana 1 undercard in May. I presume IFL were in attendance?

Ahhhh that could be it then.