The two highest available contenders have been pitted together to decide who will follow Carl Froch after ‘The Cobra’ decided to drop the belt instead of meeting compatriot DeGale in the UK clash.
Earlier this month, Warriors Boxing won the purse bid to stage the contest with a bid of $3.1m meaning Dirrell gets home advantage for his second attempt at claiming a version of the 168 pound championship. Back in 2009, ‘The Matrix’ lost out to Froch in Nottingham for the WBC title and has now avoided a return trip to the British Isles when he faces Olympic gold medallist DeGale in the spring.
That loss to Froch remains Dirrell’s only defeat to date as the Michigan fighter clawed his way back into contention with victories over the likes of Vladine Biosse and Derek Edwards following a year out of the ring in 2012.
DeGale has also lost just once when on the wrong end of a split decision against George Groves in 2011 and could set-up a rematch with his nemesis if he can follow stablemate Kell Brook in travelling to the US to win the world title.
