DeGale to train in US with his 'hero'.

JAMES DeGale will head to Las Vegas at the end of next month to spar and train with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The Olympic gold medalist and his trainer Jim McDonnell met Mayweather during the American's public workout in London last month when the idea was agreed.

Once DeGale has met Irishman Ciaran Healey at the MEN Arena on July 18, he will head to America as part of a summer tour that could also include sessions with Ronald "Winky" Wright and Jermain Taylor.

But it is the prospect of facing the brilliant Mayweather, unbeaten in 39 fights and the pound for pound king until his aborted retirement in 2007, that really excites DeGale.

"We've got a few options, including training with Mayweather in Vegas. I'll get good quality sparring and that's what I need," he said.

"To be in the gym with Floyd will be unbelievable. Floyd is one of my favourite fighters ever." McDonnell believes sparring with top Americans such as Mayweather will accelerate DeGale's progress through the professional ranks.

"We're going to use the summer vacation as part of James' learning curve. All we've got to do with Mayweather is finalise the details," he said.

"We reminded Floyd that he'd only won a bronze medal in Atlanta in 1996! The connections are made and Floyd is interested in training with him.

"We also have an option to train with Winky Wright in Miami and Jermain Taylor at Gleason's Gym in New York. We want James to train and spar with world champions.

"The famous American trainer Emmanuel Steward once told me the best way to develop a young fighter is to get the best possible sparring and that's what we're trying to do." DeGale was supposed to be meeting Healey, the former Irish middleweight champion, at the O2 Arena tomorrow but the bill was postponed by three weeks when Andreas Kotelnik pulled out of his clash with Amir Khan because of a mouth infection.

The setback has cost an angry DeGale his hometown debut in London and left him pounds 2,500 out of pocket. "It was so frustrating. I was peaking and began tapering down when the call came. I was angry," he said.

"I missed out on money and a holiday I had to cancel so I'll have to take my frustrations out on Ciaran Healey. The holiday had cost me pounds 2500 and I couldn't get any of the money back. Ciaran is really going to get hit now. It was supposed to be my homecoming at the O2 and I'm a bit upset that's not going to happen."