James DeGale handed WBC lifeline following world title loss

[Ruthless-RKO]

James DeGale is in line to potentially challenge the winner of David Benavidez v Ronald Gavril II having been rated in the Top 15 by the WBC in January.

The 31 year-old surprisingly lost his world super-middleweight title to Caleb Truax on December 9 of last year and is immediately ranked by the World Boxing Council due to his past achievements.

No organization places a world title holder due to association with their chosen title sanctioning body, although dropping the belt to Truax gave the WBC the opportunity to act.

A win over a fellow-contender in the Top 15 would then elevate DeGale into the Top 10, whilst being positioned at 11th in the latest list means the Briton could qualify for a voluntary shot.

Current champion Benavidez meets Gavril again on February 17 and DeGale will be an avid viewer knowing a summer title shot is now a possibility.

Current WBC super-middleweight Top 15:

1 Callum Smith (GB)
2 Chris Eubank Jr. (GB)
3 Anthony Dirrell (US)
4 Jessie Hart (US)
5 Ronald Gavril (Romania/US)
6 Rocky Fielding (GB) BBB C/COMM
7 Hadillah Mohoumadi (France) EBU
8 Juergen Braehmer (Germany) * CBP/P
9 Fedor Chudinov (Russia)
10 Avni Yildirim (Turkey) INTL
11 James DeGale (GB) * CBP/P
12 J'Leon Love (US)
13 Jayde Mitchell (Australia)
14 John Ryder (GB) * CBP/P
15 Vincent Feigenbutz (Germany) * CBP/P

*CBP = awaiting Clean Boxing Program paperwork

[samwbr]

Dropping to 11th seems harsh.

[tobyh5]

No organization places a world title holder due to association with their chosen title sanctioning body,

unless it suits a la Kovalev

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dropping to 11th seems harsh.

Well tbh, he wasn't even ranked before today. So they've just dropped him into #11 spot. Decent.

[bigjack]

Dropping to 11th seems harsh.

I thought that,especially when he was considered by many as the top man at the weight.

[Bigdogsnose]

He had a crap night, but he can come back and get amongst this lot. Hopefully with a new trainer to shake things up. I still wanna see him and groves again.

[mikiesb]

Thought there was rematch clause with truax ? If so pay truax what he wants and do it again .. or am I missing something ?

[KiwiRider]

Its fair.
I could see 4 guys above him on that list giving him a hard time of it, and 2 or 3 I would tip to beat ( or totally smash) him. And thats assuming he finds his form again.
Truax is open to a rematch last I heard, and despite what Eddie said, I think there is a rematch clause. That would be a much easier route than facing off with the top WBC guys?

[Wa1nuts]

Thought there was rematch clause with truax ? If so pay truax what he wants and do it again .. or am I missing something ?

No clause

[Boxerbeetle]

Off topic somewhat, but Truax seems like a really decent guy from his Twitter feed. Glad he won.

[KiwiRider]

Thought there was rematch clause with truax ? If so pay truax what he wants and do it again .. or am I missing something ?

No clause

It was Hearn running his mouth about there being no rematch clause, Fwank says there is one

[Wa1nuts]

Thought there was rematch clause with truax ? If so pay truax what he wants and do it again .. or am I missing something ?

No clause

It was Hearn running his mouth about there being no rematch clause, Fwank says there is one

Fair enough I thought I recalled Frank saying there wasnt a rematch clause or that he didnt know. It was Haymon who set the contract up wasnt it?

[leejonesjnr]

Apparently there is a rematch clause.
Is Degale intending to box again? It seems like a long time without any indication that he wants a rematch.
With regards the WBC ‘lifeline’, it may be more providing a rope.

[3132DW]

Apparently there is a rematch clause.
Is Degale intending to box again? It seems like a long time without any indication that he wants a rematch.
With regards the WBC ‘lifeline’, it may be more providing a rope.

There was an interview where he was taking time to evaluate etc.....I read it like problems with training/camp and he was maybe thinking about switch of trainer - that was just my read on it though.

[3132DW]

Thought there was rematch clause with truax ? If so pay truax what he wants and do it again .. or am I missing something ?

No clause

It was Hearn running his mouth about there being no rematch clause, Fwank says there is one

It was De Gale who said himself afterwards there wasn’t - Haymon’s team did include one.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I really wouldn't be that surprised if DeGale retired. He really didn't look at all good in that fight, something seemed missing.

Sometimes fighters are done after a couple of hard nights, maybe that's the case with Degale, he looked very vulnerable, and seemed unable to pull the trigger.

[3132DW]

I really wouldn't be that surprised if DeGale retired. He really didn't look at all good in that fight, something seemed missing.

Sometimes fighters are done after a couple of hard nights, maybe that's the case with Degale, he looked very vulnerable, and seemed unable to pull the trigger.

He tweeted earlier tonight he’ll be getting it back in a couple of months.

[Twinkle Toes]

He'll carry on I am sure, but his time to sustain anything at elite level has gone.

[CaptainSpacerod]

Gives me no pleasure to say this as i like james and have the utmost respect for his skills and achievements in boxing but he’s finished.

Even at his peak and with two good shoulders he didn’t really punch hard enough to deter opponents but his amazing reflexes and speed enabled him to slip enough shots and land enough counters to win fights. Now, fighting one armed and with father time slowing him down any further fights forJames will make sad viewing for his fans .

I hope he does the sensible thing and retires.

[Ezzard]

I think DeGale's toughness and durability have always been underrated. And his defence and "slickness" overrated.

He's got into plenty of hard man style fights with less than stellar opposition.

He almost got beaten by the Mexican guy. May not have beaten Dirrell without the knockdown (but he deserved it) and had a far worse time with Badou Jack than Groves did.

He's laboured through much of his career but at other times he has looked fantastic.

I'm surprised how people were so convinced he was the best in the division.

[jamamb]

ya i agree. never nearly as slick as many acted like he was. i think even ggg wouldve beaten him.froch wouldve whacked the sh!t out of him

also then ppl started to massively overrate that benavidez fellow because they overrated porky duebto oveeeatibg degale, and hence then thought that beating up porky like benavidez did was a big deal. then benavidez goes and has a tough fight and is put on his el rojo ass by ronald gavril.