London - Britain's IBF super-middleweight world champion James DeGale revealed on Tuesday he is set to undergo shoulder surgery but hopes to fight again by the end of the year.
The 31-year-old - who won middleweight Olympic gold at the 2008 Games - said he had been suffering from the right shoulder complaint for over a year.
He was injured in the run-up to his victory over Rogelio Medina in April last year and was still suffering from the problem in January's draw with Badou Jack.
"It has been a frustrating few months since I drew with Badou Jack in New York, and I had hoped to have announced my next opponent by now," DeGale told The Daily Mirror.
"But tomorrow (Wednesday) I will have surgery on my right shoulder that will mean I will be out of the ring for a while.
"I suffered the injury several weeks before I fought Rogelio Medina but decided to fight through the pain, as I did earlier this year against Badou Jack.
"I was only operating at 60 to 70 percent however and that showed against Jack. Thankfully I've been good enough to get away with not being at my best, but I was almost found out in New York.
"The operation is for 'a scrape and tighten up', or a 'diagnostic arthroscopy and ACJ stabilisation' to give it its medical term.
"Within eight to 10 weeks I should be able to spar. I will definitely be able to fight before the end of the year."