James Degale doesn't have the mentality of a champion?

[Cas]

Despite Degale having all the talent and skills, I have to question the 'mentality' of this man. Whilst I am not written him off by any means, but at the same time I don't see him having the heart of a champion. Groves seemed to have wanted to win more and dug deep, where as Degale didn't want to give that extra bit. Winning mentality cannot be installed into someone IMO, it's a desire deep within someone, losing is not an option for certain fighters.

Look, you can have all the talent in the world, but that doesn't mean you're going to be a world beater. I'm inclined to thinking this will be the downfall of Degale in the future (I could be wrong). There were signs of a man who looked lost in there tonight and was easily frustrated by the tactics of Groves.

Wasn't impressed by the performance of Degale, neither his desire to win. Will be interesting to see how he bounces back and develops after this crushing loss. This could make or break him.

[Finn]

Despite Degale having all the talent and skills, I have to question the 'mentality' of this man. Whilst I am not written him off by any means, but at the same time I don't see him having the heart of a champion. Groves seemed to have wanted to win more and dug deep, where as Degale didn't want to give that extra bit. Winning mentality cannot be installed into someone IMO, it's a desire deep within someone, losing is not an option for certain fighters.

Look, you can have all the talent in the world, but that doesn't mean you're going to be a world beater. I'm inclined to thinking this will be the downfall of Degale in the future (I could be wrong). There were signs of a man who looked lost in there tonight and was easily frustrated by the tactics of Groves.

Wasn't impressed by the performance of Degale, neither his desire to win. Will be interesting to see how he bounces back and develops after this crushing loss. This could make or break him.

Degale was stumped by tactics and quality he hadnt been up against before, he hadnt had the training to deal with it and his corner clearly werent good enough.

Groves was too hard to hit simple as. You cant expect a 10 fight novice to know how to adaptto that style of fight. If he had put it all on the line he could have got beaten badly imo - his corner give him the guidance - what were they telling him to do.

[coghaugen11]

I remember Eubank trying to tell us this years ago, about DeGale.

[Syntax Error]

James DeGob is just arrogant.

He thought he only had to turn up & the fight was won.

George Groves did him homework & prepared properly & DeGale wasn't ready, as he didn't think that Groves would box as well as he did.

He will learn from this & improve as a fighter, I'm sure of it.

[hurlock]

degale made the fight :!: he was just slow in putting his attacks together & wasnt getting great advice. maybe he was ponderous because he was a little flat from taking off the last 6 pounds & thought groves would tire & he'd stop him.

[banjo]

Despite his debut where he made a mug of himself with his pre-fight "I'm like marmite, you'll either love me or hate me" bollocks and then almost burst into tears in the post fight interview after all the boos he has impressed me a lot since then but sadly his lack of class shone through last night in defeat, he is talented but he does seem to act like a big kid, hopefully this setback will knock some sense into him.

[kamicazze]

James mcdonell has never trained anyone to the level that james degale hopes to get to.

[dookus]

As I posted in another thread, this fight showed the gulf between the two in terms of their mental game...DeGale couldn't deal with Groves showing something entirely different to their first fight and took 5 rounds to figure out what the hell to do, he didn't press his obvious advantages enough when he was on top of the fight, and got frustrated very quickly rather than bite down and figure out what to do. In contrast, Groves looked like a man who'd done his homework and had every answer to every question DeGale might pose of him figured out, even if the test in front of him should have been a bit too much.

Beside DeGale's total lack of a plan (how long did it take him to figure out that he was going to have to win going forward?) their respective reactions to the clashes of heads were very telling - DeGale dabbing away looking bothered and distracted, Groves with a face full of blood (especially after the cut opened on his forehead) sticking to his plan and leaving it all in the ring.

If you could take DeGale's physical attributes, fluidity and instincts and combine them with Groves' intelligence, tactical nouse and concentration, you'd have one hell of a fighter, a world-class super-middleweight. Those who point to DeGale's inexperience should not forget Groves has has only a couple more fights than him and he's a couple years younger. The question is who is going to be better able to put together the missing parts - Groves can't grow punch resistance, DeGale can't grow a brain...but maybe Groves can develop some of DeGale's looseness and ability to throw cominations spontaneously, DeGale can figure out what to do with a sharp counterpuncher.

Personally I think that despite the loss, DeGale has the greater potential if he puts together a proper team around him who are willing to come up with a plan A and Plan B and tell DeGale how to do it. Jimmy Mac ain't that guy; anyone remember his disastrous misreading of the tactics needed for Vitali K on the basis that Vitali was blowing hard after 6 rounds of war with Lewis?

[dookus]

On that topic, something the Sky team in their famous impartiality managed to pick up on was how different they seemed before the fight: DeGale ultra-relaxed, hanging around backstage most of the day, Groves obviously much more nervous, trying to keep a very tight lid on himself, not turning up till as late as possible. The obvious inference to draw (which Nelson and McGuigan did) is that Groves is nervous, therefore he thinks he's going to lose; DeGale is relaxed and is just going to turn up and do his thing, no problem. Calzaghe, who hardly comes across as Jameel McCline in his analyses, did point out that there is such a thing as being too relaxed, too overconfident. In the event it turned out he was so relaxed because he'd assumed that all he had to do was turn up and do his thing without coming up with a plan for Groves; Groves was trying to hold together everything he needed to pull off during the fight in his head and thereby came across as "spooked" in McGuigan's words.

[lurkyshaka]

DeGale seems to lack 'inate toughness' and if his ability isn't getting it done....he's struggling.
Tactially out thought, he needed to grab the bull by the horns. But he lacked the belief/heart/desire/call it what you will....to go out and grab ahold of the contest.

Now maybe this loss will strengthen him and steel him for the future, but mabe its just an indication that when the going gets tough, Degale will be found wanting.

George Groves is made of sterner stuff than Degale and that was the difference last night.

[Superheavy]

I remember Eubank trying to tell us this years ago, about DeGale.

What did Eubank say abt DeGale?