James Degale

At 38 years old, James Degale has this physical status:

James Frederick DeGale, born 3 February 1986, is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2009 to 2019.

He won the IBF supermiddleweight title twice between 2015 and 2018, as well as regionally, the European and British super-middleweight titles between 2010 and 2012. DeGale competed for Great Britain as an amateur at the 2008 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the middleweight division.

He has also won silver and 2008 EU Championships, as well as bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

He became the first British boxer to win both an Olympic gold medal and a world championship by later becoming IBF champion.

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Amateur career

79–16 is the amateur record.

DeGale earned the gold medal in the Middleweight boxing competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the Middleweight boxing event. He defeated a former Olympic gold medalist from Athens (Bakhtiyarm Artayev) and in the semi-finals once more (prior to this latest match, Sutherland defeated DeGale only one). DeGale defeated Ecuador Emilio Correa, who was docked two points in the first round for biting DeGale's shoulder.

2007 (as a middleweight)

2008

Professional career

Frank Warren, a promoter, and Billy Joe Saunders decided on a joint basis with Frank Warren on December 2nd, 2008. The deal was expected to be worth about £1.5 million, according to sources.

In the 2009 New Year Honours, DeGale was named Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

DeGale made his professional debut against Vepkhia Tchilaia on February 28, 2009, winning a points decision by 40–36. After being led the distance by his little-known rival, DeGale earned a mixed reaction from the crowd. However, DeGale was also supported by others in attendance, as Tchilaia chose to box extremely defensively. Five more victories followed DeGale's capture of his first regional championship, the WBA's International super-middleweight championship, by defeating Sam Horton in five rounds. DeGale won by stoppage near the end of the first round on September 18, 2010, marking his first defense of his title against Carl Dilks.

DeGale would face Paul Smith for the British supermiddleweight title on Warren's blockbuster festival in Liverpool, which was scheduled for 11 December 2010 at the Echo Arena, according to Frank Warren. Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders, as well as Nathan Cleverly and Kell Brook, were among the bill's supporters. DeGale advanced to defeat Smith in the ninth round of the competition, thereby becoming the British super-middleweight champion.

On March 17, Frank Warren announced that DeGale would defend his British crown against fellow Dale Youth Boxing Club graduate and Commonwealth champion George Groves at The O2 on May 21. Groves had previously won by a majority decision over DeGale in the amateurs. In what was seen as a close contest, DeGale suffered his first professional defeat Groves. The judges ruled in a majority decision that the bout was 115–115, 114–114, and 115–114. Groves, who believed he had offended many people wrong, applauded the prospect of a match in the future. "I will never again fight him." Well, if it's all right and it's the right way. But now I have defeated him twice." When the decision was announced, DeGale had a look of surprise.

DeGale had been scheduled to return to action in September 2011 to face Polish boxer Piotr Wilczewski for his European super-middleweight title. DeGale returned to defeat Wilczewski on October 15, 2011 after one judge scored the match 114–114, but the other two scored it 115–113 in favour of DeGale, giving him the majority vote to win the European championship. In the early rounds, DeGale got off to a promising start. He slowed down his work rate before bringing it right back to life in the sixth and seventh rounds. DeGale has signed a sponsorship agreement with Bulk Powders sport supplements in February 2012. DeGale spent six months in prison before meeting Italian boxer Cristian Sanavia on April 21 and successfully defending his European title in Denmark. In round 4, DeGale disobeyed Sanavia three times, resulting in the referee break. On all three judges' cards, Degale was ahead, 29–28, 30–27, and 29–28. DeGale completed his EBU championship against 32-year-old French super-middleweight champion Hadillah Mohoumadi on October 13th and retained his EBU crown. This was DeGales' first match under new promoter Mick Hennessy. The final judges' scorecards showed 119–109, 117–111, and 116–112 all in favour of DeGale.

DeGale defeated Fulgencio Ziga (25–6–1, 20 KOs) in a 12-round match on December 8, 2012, winning the vacant WBC Silver supermiddleweight title for the 35-year-old Colombian fringe finalist. In round 3, Ziga was disqualified, but the count was still high. The referee inadvertently separated the boxers when DeGale was about to fire and go for the stoppage because the call had sounded to end the round. The deGale case was decided 118–109 by the three judges. In the second round of a non-title match, DeGale defeated 33-year-old Canadian boxer Sébastien Demers. The confrontation took place in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Demers hadn't fought since 2011 and took the fight on a weeks notice prior to this fight. DeGale returned to the United Kingdom a month later on June 8th to defend his WBC Silver medal against 38-year-old Stjepan Boi (26–6, 17 KO's) at Bluewater in Greenhithe, Kent. Boi's corner held him out before round five began because he was getting too much punishment. DeGale said in the post-fight that he wanted to fight next month against IBF supermiddleweight champion Carl Froch.

DeGale's second attempt at WBC Silver was a success, his first came against American boxer Dyah Davis in November 2013. All three judges ruled in his favour, with DeGale winning by unanimous decision. His last defense at the City Academy Sports Centre in Bristol on March 1, 2014 against undefeated Gevorg Khatchikian (20–0, 8 KOs). On Channel 5, the match was televised live on Channel 5. Khatchikian was knocked twice by the end of round 10 after ten dominant rounds, with DeGale struggling to find the finishing blow. DeGale had been ordered to face mandatory challenger Badou Jack by the WBC ahead of the fight, but Jack lost in a first round stoppage just days before. DeGale defeated Abby DeGale, making him the only challenger to WBC world champion Sakio Bika.

DeGale signed a Matchroom Sport promotional contract on April 10, 2014. On the undercard of the Carl Froch and George Groves rematch at Wembley Stadium on May 31, 2014, DeGale made his first appearance under Matchroom. Brandon Gonzáles, a undefeated challenger who will face the United States for the first time, was undefeated (18–0–1, 10) in an IBF final eliminator. In round 4, DeGale was disqualified and Gonzáles was suspended. After identifying with a left-right pair, DeGale landed a big left hook, flooring Gonzáles.

On November 22, 2014, DeGale's second fight under the Matchroom banner took place in Liverpool against former WBC world champion Marco Antonio Peribán (20–2–13 KOs). On Sky Box Office's undercard of the Nathan Cleverly vs. Tony Bellew rematch. DeGale acknowledged that this was his toughest fight to date, and that losing his world championships could bring him to an end. When the fight was suspended in round 3 in DeGale, he became the first boxer to beat Peribán. DeGale had two lefts 30 seconds into the round, but Peribán was unable to continue. DeGale called Froch out right after the combat was called off, calling him a coward for not combating him.

Carl Froch vacated the IBF Championship due to illness in February 2015, allowing DeGale to take the title against the next available challenger. Andre Dirrell, an American boxer (24–1, 16 KOs), was the next available challenger. On May 23, 2015, the two boxers would meet for the vacant title at the Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts, and the four boxers would fight for the title. DeGale won the vacant IBF supermiddleweight championship by a unanimous vote. Two judges scored the fight 114–112 and the third judge's score it wider at 117–109, with all in favour of DeGale. The match was also rated 114–112. In the second round, Dirrell was eliminated twice. DeGale's work rate slowed as the war progressed due to being exhausted. He managed to postpone until the end. According to Compubox punch results, DeGale delivered 115 of the 400 punches (29%), up from Dirrell who received 111 of 488 (23%). DeGale was delighted to be the first British Olympic gold medalist to win a world championship.

DeGale will face Romanian boxer and former world champion Lucian Bute in mid-2015, and it was announced in mid-2015 that he would make his first IBF super-middleweight title defense. DeGale defeated Bute by a unanimous decision on November 28th, 2015 at the Videotron Centre in Quebec, Canada. The contest was close, but DeGale did enough to earn respectable scores of 116–112, 117–111, and 117–111. Bute admitted that he gave it the best effort, but that wasn't enough. DeGale was able to dodge his punches and land the kind of punches that would win him rounds. "All praise to Lucian Bute," DeGale acknowledged Bute in the post-fight. He's a natural performer, and you can bet that he will return." DeGale said he would like to fight Badou Jack in April 2016.

DeGale will make his second defense of his IBF title against mandatory challenger Rogelio 'Porky' Medina (36–6, 30 KOs), with the contest set to take place in Washington, DC, on April 30. DeGale was supposed to fight compulsory José Uzcégui, but Uzcategui's illness rendered the fight more difficult than anticipated. On all three judges' scorecards, DeGale triumphed 1111–112, 112, and 115–113. On Showtime, the fight averaged 342,000 viewers and reached 397,000. Medina threw over a thousand punches during the contest, with some success breaking the ring and cornering DeGale, but DeGale was able to win the battle with his technique, landing about half of his punches. Badou Jack won his WBC with a draw against Lucian Bute, which was later changed to a DQ victory for Jack, allowing him to advance to a unification match.

DeGale and WBC champion Badou Jack (20–1–2, 12 KOs) would clash on January 14, 2017 in Showtime Boxing. The war was supposed to begin in the fall of 2016, but it took a little longer for the negotiations to be complete. Both the WBC and IBF titles, as well as the vacant The Ring crown, will be up for grabs. The Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, was officially announced on November 15th that a fight would take place there. It's the first time either fighters will face each other in the ring.

DeGale held his IBF title in front of a crowd of 10,128, but lost the WBC and vacant Ring titles after the match ended in a majority draw. Judge Glenn Feldman made it 114-112 for DeGale and judges Julie Lederman and Steve Weisfeldt, who scored it 113–113 on a 113-113 draw. With a left hand, DeGale knocked Jack down once in round 1. DeGale also went to the ground in round 12 for the first time in his professional career when Jack knocked him down with a right hook to the head. During the war, DeGale lost a tooth and fractured his eardrum, causing his eardrum. Jack's campaigner Floyd Mayweather Jr. complained about the result, saying his fighter had done enough to win and calling the call "bad for boxing." When DeGale said he wanted a match possibly in London, Jack said he would do it at light heavyweight, but Mayweather later said Jack has been too heavy for super-middleweights. DeGale's purse for the fight was $750,000, while Jack made $700,000. Jack landed 231 of 745 punches, more than DeGale, who landed 172 of 617 at a connect rate of 28 percent, according to CompuBox. On Showtime, the fight attracted 454,000 viewers.

DeGale wrote to the IBF in March 2017 and was granted a medical exemption because he was going to fight a mandatory next. The waiver meant he would fight again in Summer 2017.

After recovering from a shoulder injury, DeGale said on September 20, 2017, that he was hoping to return to the ring in December 2017. He aimed to start punching again by the end of the month and begin sparring in October. Former promoter Frank Warren declared on October 25th that DeGale will defend his IBF crown for the first time on home soil on September 9th at the Copper Box Arena in London on a card sponsored by Queensberry Promotions. The match will also be the first time DeGale has been fought in the United Kingdom since November 2014. On October 30, DeGale's contract with Warren was revealed during a press conference. "To be defending my World Title in my hometown city is a dream come true," DeGale said. I have portrayed myself as a road warrior, but it is now time to tell everyone at home who the world's best super-middleweight is." Caleb Truax (28–3–2, 18 KOs) was announced as DeGale's opposition on November 14th, the former world champion and IBF #15.

Truax pulled off a big surprise in defeating DeGale and winning the IBF super-middleweight title after 12 rounds, and claiming the IBF super-middleweight title after 12 rounds. One judge was awarded 114-114, but Truax's remaining two judges were 116–112 and 115–112. DeGale was mostly outworked and at times was badly wounded. He began the combat well but fought mainly against the ropes for the remainder of the war, allowing Truax to land multiple power shots. Truax blasts away at DeGale on the ropes, with right uppercuts and left hooks. Truax's uppercuts pushed DeGale's chin back repeatedly, but the round came to an end. Truax said he and his team watched tapes of DeGale vs. Jack and that DeGale did not like pressure placed on him. "I thought I won it, but we have to change it," DeGale said after the fight. I should have waited until next year. I want the rematch. That's what I want. I'm going to talk to Al [Haymon]". Following his shoulder surgery, he may have recovered too quickly, according to him. Haymon Boxing's Tim Smith confirmed that there was indeed an immediate rematch provision in the contract.

Frank Warren announced in mid February that rematch negotiations between DeGale and Truax were ongoing in the United States. TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions officially announced the match on March 9 as the card's co-main event, as well as the light-middleweight unification match Erislandy Lara vs. Jartt Hurd at The Joint in Las Vegas on April 7, 2018. Paulie Malignaggi, the former world champion and analyst, was sent to camp to help with his preparation with DeGale's long-time trainer Jim McDonnell. Both boxers would receive a $300,000 reward for the contest, according to the newspaper. Truax weighed in at 167 34 pounds, with DeGale coming in a marginally smaller 167 14 pounds.

DeGale had said that if he lost, he would go back to prison. In defeating Truax by unanimous vote in what was a tense fight, DeGale became a two-time world champion. The fight was 114-113, with DeGale's remaining judge scoring it 117–110, with DeGale all in favour of DeGale. In round three, DeGale's fast start was interrupted until a cut appeared over his right eye, which slightly impaired his vision. His corner did a good job with the layoff, but blood began streaming from his wound in the following rounds. Truax's left eye was sliced and then his right eye was revealed in round 8. During the clinches, DeGale sporadically pushed Truax, and he was eventually fined a point for using his shoulder to nudge Truax in round 10. DeGale then fought on in the final two rounds, earning him the battle on the 114-113 scorecards. Truax had a much lower success in the first round than in the first battle. "Two-time world champion" was the subject of the debate, according to DeGale. It's amazing. Caleb is to blame, but he demonstrated that he could mix it with the best fighters, which is a huge compliment. "I'm just grateful that I'm a two-time world champion and that I've won my IBF world championship back." Truax said, "I think I did enough to win the fight, but I also thought I was flakey and didn't get my shots off as I intended." I felt really good coming in, but I couldn't get my shots off like the last fight. He never threatened me, but it is what it is." Truax had 103 of 471 punches fired (22%) over the 12 rounds, while DeGale was more precise, landing 99 of his 327 thrown (30%).

Billy Joe Saunders, a fellow British boxer, had been booked for The O2 Arena on September 20th, according to promoter Warren. Saunders was rumored to gain weight and defyke DeGale at the 168 pound mark, according to reports. The IBF ordered DeGale to face interim champion Jose Uzcategui (27–2, 23 KOs). On July 5, a purse auction was scheduled. DeGale released a statement in which he vacated his IBF title on July 4th. DeGale said he vacated for a reason because he was in the last phase of his career and wanted to see bigger fights.

DeGale returned to the ring in an 8-round match at the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, California, on September 17th. In the round 3 of DeGale, journeyman Fidel Muoz Monterrosa won his first stoppage victory in 6 fights dating back to November 2014. With a massive uppercut, DeGale defeated Fidel Muoz Monterrosa. Muoz Monterrosa was ill and unable to keep the count. During the combat, which was supposed to be a quick contest before DeGale took part in a big fight in December 2018, DeGale used his jab and the occasional power shot. The fight took place at a 172-pound catch-weight.

The James DeGale vs. Chris Eubank Jr. grudge match, which will be broadcast exclusively on ITV Box Office as part of ITV's new agreement with Haymon Sports' Premier Boxing Champions, took place on January 3rd. After a string of run-ins, from sparring one another in the gym to trading verbal abuses on social media, DeGale and Eubank's rivalry (27–2, 21 KOs) began a few years ago. Since DeGale vacated his IBF supermiddleweight crown in July 2018, serious debate about the fight began in July 2018. That was the first time DeGale had battled a fellow British boxer before that point, and it was the majority decision loss to George Groves in May 2011. The conflict had been supposed to take place in December 2018, but no one had reached it yet. With PBC's plans to'Invade the UK Market,' it was first reported in November 2018 that a pay-per-view battle was imminent. Nate Vasquez, a former boxer who trains boxers and MMA fighters, was in Las Vegas training at the Mayweather Boxing Club, and Eubank revealed he had been training in Las Vegas. "Instead of me going through the motions and trying to kill guys using heart and determination," Eubank said. Now we have a plan. "It's going to bring me to the next level." Ed Levine, the president of the International Boxing Organization, has revealed that their super-middleweight championship would be in play.

Eubank Jr. was ranked #3 by the WBC and #4 by the WBA at super middleweight at the time, and at #4 by the WBA at super middleweight. DeGale was floored twice during the match and lost by unanimous decision, 112-114, 109-117. Eubank Jr said he was surprised by DeGale's ability to punch his best punches after the match. DeGale did not attend the post-fight press conference.

DeGale retired from professional boxing in February 2019, following the loss to Eubank.

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