Sutherland begins his long road to the top

OLYMPIC champion James DeGale versus bronze medallist Darren Sutherland will be the greatest professional fight that never happens according to the Irishman's trainer Brian Lawrence.

Sutherland, who lost to DeGale on points in the semi-final in Beijing, will make his professional debut in his hometown of Dublin tonight against Bulgarian Georgi Iliev.

 DeGale, who chose to hang up his amateur gloves just two weeks ago, lost to Sutherland in their previous four fights.

Prompting Lawrence to fear a professional bout between the two will not come to fruition - in a repeat performance of then world champion Riddick Bowe's reluctance to take on Lennox Lewis.

"I reckon when the chips are down DeGale will come up with excuses to avoid the fight," he said. "There will be other challenges and I'm sure when they both finish their careers Darren will have achieved more.

"Lennox stopped Bowe in the 1988 Olympics, and it was such a shame they never fought professionally.

"Bowe didn't want to know when he became world champion and famously threw the WBC belt in the bin instead of facing Lennox."

But Frank Warren - who promotes Sutherland insists a showdown is certainly on the cards and is in no doubt as to the implications of the clash.

""I've been so impressed with Darren I would put the public out of their misery and make the match with DeGale tomorrow," he said.

"I think they will meet eventually in what will be one of the biggest fights of all time."