Horton vows to meet DeGale head on

Stourbridge boxer Sam Horton is looking to reach the gold standard after a whirlwind week left him as the next man to face the James DeGale phoneomenon.

Horton was confirmed on Wednesday as the Olympic gold medalist's next opponent, with the two set to do battle for the makeweight WBA Inter-Continental title at West Ham's Upton Park on May 15.

The Black Country boxer was all set to turn his back on the super middleweight division to drop down to middleweight at the start of the week, before the chance came along to go toe-to-toe with the cocksure unbeaten prospect.

Despite the experience difference - Horton has a record of 15-1-0 to DeGale's 6-0-0 since turning pro - few are giving 'The Man' much of a chance of taking down the golden boy.

But the 24-year-old is determined not to let this chance slip through his fingers.

He said: "I had a bit of an inkling on Sunday that the DeGale fight might come off, but I was of the opinion 'I will believe it when I see it' at first. The next thing I know the fight is all confirmed, and my trainer is telling me to get back into the gym.

"It's a good fight for both of us, it looks good for him if he can beat someone with my record and for me, well, how high can I get if I can be the man who beat James DeGale?"

DeGale was on typical form at Wednesday's press conference, proclaiming his opponent wouldn't last the 12 rounds and is unlikely to take him past the the sixth or seventh.

Horton was not among the crowd after sustaining cuts above both eyes in a fight against Sabie Montieth last Sunday, a bruising four-round points win in Coventry.

But the boxing bus driver has no intention of letting his illustrious opponent have it his own way next month.

He added: "Mark my words, because I am going in there to win. I will give as good as I get, and if I come off worse then so be it."