BoxRec

Degale has a very good chin.

When groves gets tagged at top level, his chin won't hold out. Although, I believe groves is the harder hitter now.

Degale had a long-term leg injury which has recently cleared up. He's hitting noticably harder in his last two fights. I think he may be able to stop Groves if there was a rematch.

rapid2 wrote:Degale has a very good chin.

When groves gets tagged at top level, his chin won't hold out. Although, I believe groves is the harder hitter now.

I think Groves has always been the harder hitter. Degale definietly has a better chin though i think.

polecateddy wrote:Degale had a long-term leg injury which has recently cleared up.

He's hitting noticably harder in his last two fights

. I think he may be able to stop Groves if there was a rematch.

I dont know if that is the case. The guys he's fought in his last two fights have been a mixture of shot in Demers and an old Bozic who always seems to quit in fights when things get tough.

columbo wrote:

polecateddy wrote:Degale had a long-term leg injury which has recently cleared up.

He's hitting noticably harder in his last two fights

. I think he may be able to stop Groves if there was a rematch.

I dont know if that is the case. The guys he's fought in his last two fights have been a mixture of shot in Demers and an old Bozic who always seems to quit in fights when things get tough.

He's dipping he's knees and getting the power shots in. It's different!

polecateddy wrote:
He's dipping he's knees and getting the power shots in. It's different!

Holding his feet is what lost him the first fight, he couldn't deal with Groves' movement

danconnollyeire wrote:

polecateddy wrote:
He's dipping he's knees and getting the power shots in. It's different!

Holding his feet is what lost him the first fight, he couldn't deal with Groves' movement

I thought first fight was a case of Booth out-thinking McDonnell, who told Degale he was winning and just had to carry on walking him down.
That said, I made Degale the winner on the night

I think its still not clear who is better between Degale / Groves and I've been that way since I first saw them.

After Degales first 5 fights I though Groves was better but from then until their first fight Degale was much more impressive and I thought that his class would come through to beat Grove. I did have Degale winning their fight by a round or two but it was a very close fight with very close rounds so I had no problem with Groves getting the decision.

Since then they have both had mixed opponents. Degale had two good fights after Groves and put in good performances gaining and defending the Euro title, he underperformed against Mohoumadi (which I went to see) and Zuniga and he's done the job in his last 2 but against opposition who he's expected to beat. With Groves I weren't convinced with his performance against Smith as the first round was very close and maybe Smith won, but I can't deny that the finish was perfect. His opponents since have been put there for him to beat (most of them short notice) but again he's done the job. I think Groves has taken it easy since Degale, Glen johnson didn't show up! Where as Degale has also been in with Wilczewski who isn't bad and defended the euro title 3 times.

Groves has looked the more complete fighter recently showing good power and excellent timing where as Degale has done frustrating things at times, flashes of brilliance and creativity but I get the impression he's not operating at his best yet.

They are both sitting pretty high across the championship rankings and I could see them both potentially getting world shots this year which leaves me to think that although they both say they'll fight each other again I don't think they want it just yet as they are a risk to each other. Degale after losing to Groves picked up the euro title and wanted a rematch, Grove said he was taking another path. Once Degale gave up that belt Grove was schedueled in to fight for it before pulling out stating that Degale didn't want to face Ali Ndiaye. Recently Groves has said he'd face Degale as its an easy fight and Degales rejecting it saying that Groves don't really want it ,probably thinking his WBC Silver belt will land him a title shot over Groves. So they're both playing off each other. At some point they'll meet again and I can't wait.

gobbles wrote:Groves nicked a razor-thin decision over Degale by running away and refusing to trade. People are reinventing the fight as if it was one-sided.
If the met again, Groves fights exactly the same type of fight. No way would he stand and trade with Degale, it's not Booth's style

Agreed, if it was not for Degale their would not have been a fight. Groves was on his bike throughout and was intent on stealing a decision, he stank IMO, hos performance was not what boxings about. Degale deswrved the nod, he was hard done by that night. I'd be confident of him winning a rematch if it happened now.

Going on their first fight he deserves it, but i doubt Groves fancies it, i also doubt Booth has no intentions of letting him go in with Degale again anytime soon.

MachoMan09 wrote:Degale is class. Simple. I do question his killer instinct but he's a very good boxer.

Does he not wind you up the way he sits on the ropes and takes needless shots sometimes? It drives me mad when he does it.

Those red-marks on DeGale's face after Saturday's fight worry me. He was fighting an opponent who was only fighting for 50% of each round, and DeGale still finished with a face like Freddy Kreuger.

ILikeBeer wrote:Those red-marks on DeGale's face after Saturday's fight worry me. He was fighting an opponent who was only fighting for 50% of each round, and DeGale still finished with a face like Freddy Kreuger.

seaquins dear boy.

hitman_hatton1 wrote:

ILikeBeer wrote:Those red-marks on DeGale's face after Saturday's fight worry me. He was fighting an opponent who was only fighting for 50% of each round, and DeGale still finished with a face like Freddy Kreuger.

seaquins dear boy.

That comment from Degale did baffle me! How the hell did the sequins on Bozic's shorts do that to Degale's face?! I dont remember him being on his knees at any time during the fight!

MachoMan09 wrote:Degale is class. Simple. I do question his killer instinct but he's a very good boxer.

Class isn't a word that springs to my mind but each to his own he can box no doubt but he looks to be pawing George Foreman style and his power shots seem to lack sting. Needs to address this and get some media training in fact all Hennessy fighters could do with that especially Fury.

MachoMan09 wrote:

SNG wrote:

MachoMan09 wrote:Degale is class. Simple. I do question his killer instinct but he's a very good boxer.

Does he not wind you up the way he sits on the ropes and takes needless shots sometimes? It drives me mad when he does it.

That does niggle me, yes. It's a sign of confidence in his ability and chin but I'd prefer him to scrap that and concentrate on knocking blokes out.

I agree, it's a pity he got bit arsey with Woodhall when what he was telling him he should listen too.

MachoMan09 wrote:Media training makes people safe. That's all well and good with pundits but I like fighters who are loose cannons. Imagine the fun we'd have missed if Mike Tyson had had media training.

Point taken but there are amny out there who with a bit could be a lot more interesting and eloquent.

rapid2 wrote:Degale has a very good chin.

DeGale hasn't been in with any significant power punchers at his weight class.

Let's try and refrain from making statements like this until he goes in with someone like Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson or Kessler.

Personally I'm getting a little sick of DeGale calling out Carl Froch - they are in different stages of their careers.

DeGale is desparately trying to get a world title shot.

Whereas Froch doesn't need a fight against James for his legacy - Carl is already a 4 time World Champion and he's in his last few fights of his career, only a 2nd win over Kessler or a win over Ward would really enhance his legacy further.
A win over a guy who has never been a champ wouldn't really add much to his record at this time.

Crease wrote:Personally I'm getting a little sick of DeGale calling out Carl Froch - they are in different stages of their careers.

DeGale is desparately trying to get a world title shot.

Whereas Froch doesn't need a fight against James for his legacy - Carl is already a 4 time World Champion and he's in his last few fights of his career, only a 2nd win over Kessler or a win over Ward would really enhance his legacy further.
A win over a guy who has never been a champ wouldn't really add much to his record at this time.

I dont want to see another fight with Kessler. That would bore the shit out of me as its fairly predictable how it would unfold! Id still like to see Froch against Stevenson. I think whether Stevenson is good enough to challenge Froch or not, he has the power to make it interesting.

TJ77 wrote:

MachoMan09 wrote:Media training makes people safe. That's all well and good with pundits but I like fighters who are loose cannons. Imagine the fun we'd have missed if Mike Tyson had had media training.

Point taken but there are amny out there who with a bit could be a lot more interesting and eloquent.

I disagree; longer words and smart comments can take away the feeling of a statement; many times a statement feels contrived.

James has already developed his own style.
Could be a boring shocking style ... Crab like tight defence are hard to beat

for me the difference between the two imho is groves can change adapt to fights better than de gale can... de gale always starts off brightly and then gets tangled up on the ropes which infuriates the hell out of me ... as for the attitude of both of the fighters... if de gale was given the nod over groves (which i had de gale up by 2 rounds until i watched it again) de gale arrogance would be unbearable...

big fan of the both guys, wanted groves to win the first fight between these just purely because of the way degale came across but cant deny he is a class operator once fully focused, degale attitude have changed but still a bit lippy BUT groves have become a arrogant and sneaky sly person if you closely listen to him on ringside etc little jibs and degale or other people, groves is quality and first fight could of went either way. love to see them both do it again and I think degale will beat groves this time

citybluechris wrote:big fan of the both guys, wanted groves to win the first fight between these just purely because of the way degale came across but cant deny he is a class operator once fully focused, degale attitude have changed but still a bit lippy BUT groves have become a arrogant and sneaky sly person if you closely listen to him on ringside etc little jibs and degale or other people, groves is quality and first fight could of went either way. love to see them both do it again and I think degale will beat groves this time

well put i agree groves has no personality were with degale he talks from the heart and were you may not agree with him he's funny fella and a better fighter

wappingboy wrote:

citybluechris wrote:big fan of the both guys, wanted groves to win the first fight between these just purely because of the way degale came across but cant deny he is a class operator once fully focused, degale attitude have changed but still a bit lippy BUT groves have become a arrogant and sneaky sly person if you closely listen to him on ringside etc little jibs and degale or other people, groves is quality and first fight could of went either way. love to see them both do it again and I think degale will beat groves this time

well put i agree groves has no personality were with degale he talks from the heart and were you may not agree with him he's funny fella and a better fighter

Groves has a good personality - he seems a really likable man, down to earth and pleasant; he lets his fists do the talking. I think DeGale comes across much better; the loss to Groves may have been a blessing as he really was coming across as a dick and I doubt he is in real life. They are both very good prospects; the super middle division is red hot in Britain, (what is Anderson doing? Is he boxing again soon? He's another very good fighter).