James DeGale statement severing ties with Hennessy

[whiskey]

[JimJim2009]

All these fighter/promoter splits demonstrate just how precarious it is to be a promoter these days. All you've got when you're a promoter is your TV deal on the one hand, and your fighters on the other. You're stuck in the middle and if there's trouble at either end, you're in deep xxxx.

Eddie is only as good as his Sky contract allows him to be, but given Matchroom's relationship with Sky, that is rock solid.

Warren meanwhile owns his own TV channel - that's a very strong hand indeed providing its sustainable.

Those who haven't, like meaty Mick and Maloney, seem doomed.

[Coco]

What exactly does Mendy bring to the table? It's not like he would be doing it for free!

[brian13]

All I hope for is that IBF don't call DeGale's mandatory shot soon. Especially if there is a chance of Froch / GGG because Froch / GGG would be epic.

[mickey1975]

He is younger now than Froch was when he won the title. He has boxed at The O2 and on PPV, Sky and terrestrial. Carl was more used to the York Hall at his age and never hit Sky PPV until mid 30's.

[JimJim2009]

What exactly does Mendy bring to the table? It's not like he would be doing it for free!

That's what is intriguing me. It's 20 years since Ambrose was in the thick of things in the sport (at a high level, I mean)

When Nigel Benn left Warren it ended up in court. Ambrose was the person whispering in Nigel's ears at the time. 20 years later, it's deja vue all over again

[Bodyshot3]

Feel a wee bit sorry for The Chubster. He's tried hard to make Channel 5 a good place for his fighters to build a profile but they all seem to want to move on and don't seem to see him as a long-term option; more of a stepping-stone promoter.

I suppose Mick knows the business/risks and Mickey Duff's old addage of "if you want loyalty, get a dog" still rings true.

[whiskey]

He is younger now than Froch was when he won the title. He has boxed at The O2 and on PPV, Sky and terrestrial. Carl was more used to the York Hall at his age and never hit Sky PPV until mid 30's.

[mickey1975]

He is younger now than Froch was when he won the title. He has boxed at The O2 and on PPV, Sky and terrestrial. Carl was more used to the York Hall at his age and never hit Sky PPV until mid 30's.

Exactly. If James wins a world title he could go on a lucrative run. He's got skills. I'm not saying that will happen, just playing devils advocate. He has lost one razor thin decision to Groves, he's hardly finished.

[whiskey]

Exactly. If James wins a world title he could go on a lucrative run. He's got skills. I'm not saying that will happen, just playing devils advocate. He has lost one razor thin decision to Groves, he's hardly finished.

Devil's advocate ?

Lets be real, he might have another half decent pay day but it won't be down to him, it will be because he fights the winner or loser of the big Wembley fight.

He's barely sold a couple of hundred tickets a time fighting at Blue or whatever against nobodies.

You draw parallels with Froch, but when he was on the verge of a world title he was ramming the arena with about 8,000 people without trying and had been for several years against the Dodsons and Reids.

Degale has actually declined from where he began in the pro ranks. I don't even know how he has got into a shot at a title to be honest, he's fought nobody.

[Alba]

He is younger now than Froch was when he won the title. He has boxed at The O2 and on PPV, Sky and terrestrial. Carl was more used to the York Hall at his age and never hit Sky PPV until mid 30's.

Exactly. If James wins a world title he could go on a lucrative run. He's got skills. I'm not saying that will happen, just playing devils advocate. He has lost one razor thin decision to Groves, he's hardly finished.

[mickey1975]

Exactly. If James wins a world title he could go on a lucrative run. He's got skills. I'm not saying that will happen, just playing devils advocate. He has lost one razor thin decision to Groves, he's hardly finished.

Devil's advocate ?

Lets be real, he might have another half decent pay day but it won't be down to him, it will be because he fights the winner or loser of the big Wembley fight.

He's barely sold a couple of hundred tickets a time fighting at Blue or whatever against nobodies.

You draw parallels with Froch, but when he was on the verge of a world title he was ramming the arena with about 8,000 people without trying and had been for several years against the Dodsons and Reids.
Two years, mate, not several, when he was roughly the same age James is now. Nobody will have an easy night with James. The first Groves fight sold well at the gate and James was on the left hand side of the bill.
Degale has actually declined from where he began in the pro ranks. I don't even know how he has got into a shot at a title to be honest, he's fought nobody.

[whiskey]

I have to be honest Mickey and say I think your flogging a bit of a dead horse.

The fact of the matter is, he is not very entertaining - and outside the ring people generally regard him as either a likeable or un-likeable prat.

He's just not hungry and gritty enough. He turned pro and immediately was in OK magazine, talking about how he loves his new Range Rover Sport - and then he was coming into the ring with that Speed Garage MC and his own Chunky theme tune.

Despite being a total bell end , he was actually producing the goods inside the ring. His demolition of Smith in front of a hostile Liverpool crowd was sensational.

But then came the defeat by the narrowest of margins... and since then he nearly got chinned for the euro and was badly hurt. Then all of his channel 5 performances have been... mediocre and forgettable.

[mickey1975]

I have to be honest Mickey and say I think your flogging a bit of a dead horse.

The fact of the matter is, he is not very entertaining - and outside the ring people generally regard him as either a likeable or un-likeable prat.

He's just not hungry and gritty enough. He turned pro and immediately was in OK magazine, talking about how he loves his new Range Rover Sport - and then he was coming into the ring with that Speed Garage MC and his own Chunky theme tune.

Despite being a total bell end , he was actually producing the goods inside the ring. His demolition of Smith in front of a hostile Liverpool crowd was sensational.

But then came the defeat by the narrowest of margins... and since then he nearly got chinned for the euro and was badly hurt. Then all of his channel 5 performances have been... mediocre and forgettable.

Everything you say is true, apart from nearly getting chinned. He shipped a big shot, was rocked, and dealt with it. I have no idea how to rebuild him and the odds are against him ever reaching the heights loads of our 12stoners have but I know nobody will have an easy night with him. I think Fwank was bitterly disappointed with him after the Groves fight. It's was James who lost that, after Fwank had spent a lot of cash putting it on.

[JC]

DeGale won an Olympic gold medal, topped the bill in front of 20,000 people in his home city, boxed on big shows all over the country, almost all of his fights have been televised, some of those on Terrestrial TV, plus coverage in national newspapers and other national media, he's had more exposure than most fighters could ever dream of, but he's struggling to half fill the arena, which isn't that big to start with, in European title fights and world title eliminators.

That's exactly my point, since leaving Warren he's been stuck in a boxing backwater with no stable of fighters around him. Your average fan doesn't care about euro titles and eliminators, or even gold medals six years ago, it's all about the event. If Kell Brook had signed with Hennessy he's have likely ended up in the same situation.

Degale in an eliminator on the undercard of Burns or Brook on Sky people will remember he's in for a world title and look out for him next time. Degale in an eliminator top of the bill in Bluewater or a Bristol nobody cares

[JimJim2009]

DeGale won an Olympic gold medal, topped the bill in front of 20,000 people in his home city, boxed on big shows all over the country, almost all of his fights have been televised, some of those on Terrestrial TV, plus coverage in national newspapers and other national media, he's had more exposure than most fighters could ever dream of, but he's struggling to half fill the arena, which isn't that big to start with, in European title fights and world title eliminators.

That's exactly my point, since leaving Warren he's been stuck in a boxing backwater with no stable of fighters around him. Your average fan doesn't care about euro titles and eliminators, or even gold medals six years ago, it's all about the event. If Kell Brook had signed with Hennessy he's have likely ended up in the same situation.

Degale in an eliminator on the undercard of Burns or Brook on Sky people will remember he's in for a world title and look out for him next time. Degale in an eliminator top of the bill in Bluewater or a Bristol nobody cares

Very good observations

[steve689]

He was going to sign with Top Rank a few months back according to Buncey. Maybe he will go to America to try and force his way into a mandatory position with a bigger promoter behind him.

[Cyclops]

Is it any wonder he can't sell tickets mans a awful wanker

He used to be a complete tit,but i think he's grown up a bit now,still can't get excited about his boxing style, he just seems to have made little progression since he fought Groves and his fights bore me too tears.

I quite like James. He's not the most eloquent of lads, but he reminds me of a mate I've got (also called James) who has a lot of interesting stuff to say but isn't all that great at expressing himself. They really sound the same. He was definitely a douche in the build up to the Groves fight and was booed so badly in the 02, and the crowd was so pro Groves, I really think it swayed the judging that's why he lost. Nobody watching that fight with me thought Groves had done it other than me. Everybody thought James had won. We were ringside.