James DeGale, 40, announces comeback and plan to fight likes of Jake Paul and KSI

[Ruthless-RKO]

James DeGale, 40, announces comeback and plan to fight likes of Jake Paul and KSI

James DeGale, 40, is planning a comeback of sorts more than seven years after he looked a shell of himself while losing to Chris Eubank Jnr.

The former two-time IBF super middleweight champion, 25-3-1 (15 KOs), is scheduled to take on 45-year-old Marcus Portman on September 26 in Wolverhampton, England.

Portman, 20-8-2 (3 KOs), hasn’t fought professionally since losing in three rounds to Jamie Cox in 2011. The former English welterweight champion – a title won in 2004 – has been active on the unlicensed circuit but his bout with DeGale is unlikely to be a British Boxing Board of Control-sanctioned fight.

The event is being staged by Andy Sahota of ShowFighter UK, who doesn't hold a promotional licence with the Board.

DeGale – beaten widely over 12 rounds by Eubank in 2019 – was last seen in combat last September when he fought a bare-knuckle draw with Matt Floyd.

DeGale has told TalkSport that he is not coming back to reclaim world titles.

"I can't go out how I went out against Eubank," he explained.

"I've stayed in shape, and after Floyd, I want to have one more in boxing.

"Boxing has changed since I left. There is Misfits, and the Saudis have come in.

“My world title days are done but there are fights out there like Jake Paul, Darren Till, Ty Mitchell, KSI and Tommy Fury.”

https://talksport.com/boxing/4444771/ja ... s-portman/

[Bigdogsnose]

Why doesnt he just fight george groves in some sort of exhibition fight. I actually struggle to understand how they never fought again.

I think their careers were both peaks and troughs, and when one needed the other, thd other didnt need them. Shame though. Very well matched.

I guess one stumbling block could be weight. George is a big unit, not terrible shape but not a fighting weight by any stretch. James is very slim and in shape these days, be like a 3 to 4 stone difference now i reckon.

[Steveh583]

silly bastard. must be skint. he wants to avoid darren till, tho i think hes exclusively bareknuckle now.

[JamesPhilips]

Is he’s skint it’s a shame. But he’s never been much of a name. Younger / casual fans won’t know who he is. Even when he was fighting no casual knew who he was. No way he gets any big names to fight him. No KSI. No Jake Paul. He tried bareknuckle and you could see he didn’t like it. He sounds punchy too. Boxing is a cruel game. As for misfits in general they can get a bit of hype as he was a genuine world champion. But his earning potential is limited. He doesn’t bring much to the table. No charisma either

[SeanBrennan]

How can he have done all his money? He must have earned well and had advisors. Very sad if he now needs to fight for money no one should be getting punched at 40 after years out the ring. He sounds slurred anyway which is worrying.

[Alba]

Always remember Degale as being a prick . An arrogant twat, mind that ringside with Groves ?
Fact he bounced around a few primotiets, ah also mind him with Mick and also being an absolute throbber to him in the interview.

Always got away with it cause he was from London, and the bias that exists there carried it

[KiwiRider]

How will anyone see him?
He was a ghost the last time he was in the ring.

[samwbr]

His late career run was good and excitingbut really rough. I hope he's not done his money.

[Eolaithe]

So, the 40-year-old James DeGale, a former world champion, who weighed 175lbs for his BKFC debut last year, is fighting a 45-year-old 154lbs journeyman who has been "officially" inactive for over 15 years and has won only one "official" fight in more than 18 years?

Is this April Fools Day?

[tigermoth87]

What a fanny

[ste1983]

Proper random show this, seems like they’re getting former names and putting them in with local area title level fighters from 15-20 years ago.

Frankie Gavin also fighting Steve Saville (former midlands area champion but not fought since 2010), Billed as a rematch as they actually met early in Gavins pro career, by that time Saville was on the last stretch of his and had ‘gone on the road’. Gavin stopped him in two.

Theres also two local ‘influencers’ fighting each other on the bill.

Real shame to see Degale (& Gavin to an extent although more predictable) involved in such a circus.