Round-By-Round - James DeGale (IBF) vs. Badou Jack (WBC) - January 14th 2017

[Stuarty]

I think Hearn was/still is his promoter but Haymon was more a manager wasn't he?

He mocked Hearn a little while back. I think they are divorced now.

I would imagine he thinks that Hearn could have made the Carl Froch fight for him if he really wanted to, and probably promised it too. Hearn is the sort of promoter that would have preferred Groves 3 to Degale and I'm sure he figured he wasn't high up on the priority list so looked elsewhere. Making a ton of money in the process so fair play to the lad.

The way DeGale was talking a while back was as if the Jack fight was being made here so that's probably another tale Hearns spun him!

[tigermoth87]

Degale should win this but, I'm not going to rule Jack out. He's underrated and Degale has a habit of been complacent.

[PredatorHayds]

DeGale wins on points but makes it a lot harder for himself than he has to. Scores around the 115-113 116-112 mark.
Who's training Jack now he's left Muhammad?

[keithmoonhangover]

I think Hearn was/still is his promoter but Haymon was more a manager wasn't he?

He mocked Hearn a little while back. I think they are divorced now.

I hope Hearn never comes on here! He'd be divorcing the fornicate outta everyone!

Not me mate, I don't understand the hate. He pays his boxers well and on time. He's put on some fantastic shows and some rubbish ones.

[keithmoonhangover]

He mocked Hearn a little while back. I think they are divorced now.

I would imagine he thinks that Hearn could have made the Carl Froch fight for him if he really wanted to, and probably promised it too. Hearn is the sort of promoter that would have preferred Groves 3 to Degale and I'm sure he figured he wasn't high up on the priority list so looked elsewhere. Making a ton of money in the process so fair play to the lad.

The way DeGale was talking a while back was as if the Jack fight was being made here so that's probably another tale Hearns spun him!

Hearn hasn't been involved for quite a while mate.

[Batley18]

It should be a routine night for James, but as many have mentioned before, it is those rest rounds that can make things much closer than they should be.

[wesshaw1985]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUZoBE5g4uc

[TheLeprechaun]

Jacks jab is going to cause a lot of problems.

Degale is too inactive lately and takes too many rounds off. Been extremely unimpressed with him lately. Jack was superb vs Groves and solid vs Dirrell.

[ElJefe]

About time this was announced, seems like it's dragged on for ages. Backing Chunky for a 4th straight win on foreign soil. People rightly say that DeGale takes rounds off meaning that fights end up a lot closer than they should, but we should also remember that Jack only won a MD against Dirrell, SD against Groves and drew with Bute - so both fighters lose a fair few rounds. Jack is a solid, probably under rated fighter but DeGale is, imo, a level above.

Also, good to see DeGale and Frampton both getting big fights since signing with Haymon. Hopefully Selby can follow suit.

[ALI]

I'm surprised to see the poll so wide, almost everyone is tipping DeGale. I think its a very, very close fight to call and i can see it going either way. I do think DeGale is slightly better when he turns it on, but he fights in spurts whereas Jack maintains a solid consistency for 12 rounds.

It has 12 rounds written all over it. Its going to be a close fight, probably very close with the final rounds deciding it. I'm 55/45 in favour of DeGale, and there might be a little bias in there as i really want him to win, but i can easily envisage Jack getting the nod.

[crusader]

I edge Degale, although I think he's a bit overrated (not buying that he's on an entirely different level than Jack) and expect him to at least be pushed.

Some people noting that Jack only won an MD against Dirrell and drew with Bute, but I think he deserved both of those as much as Degale deserved the win over Porky Medina.

[MrJasonM]

I think DeGale edges this, but very close and is a very good fight. I fear it will be one for the purist but I am looking forward to it.

[Autobarn]

Good matchup, can't complain.

Degale backs off a lot, takes rounds off, is a bit erratic, is fit but seems to lack core strength. He's fast and versatile but seems reluctant to impose himself. He gets wins but seldom dominates. But he's much sharper than he used to be when he was that soft looking slappy southpaw and to date has done just enough, albeit in mixed company.

The big fight is made, hoping for the big win and future big fights.

[ThereByTheGrace]

Think jack can and will beat him. Cue degale crying over the decision and non stop complaining.

Hes too passive in rounds in a lot of fights I've seen him and don't see him changing that for this

[keithmoonhangover]

Chunky wins the first seven rounds, snoozes for the next four and then storm the last round.

[PredatorHayds]

Chunky wins the first seven rounds, snoozes for the next four and then storm the last round.

That's the complete opposite to the Joe Gallagher special gameplan for super big fights.

[brilo33]

looking forward to seeing delgale big fan, hope he has learned a bit from his last couple of fights ,not to go missing in the middle of fights after doing good work, really rate james just wish he could stay switched for 12 rounds easy for me to say but....this is a de gale win on points for me,

[samwbr]

I think Hearn was/still is his promoter but Haymon was more a manager wasn't he?

He mocked Hearn a little while back. I think they are divorced now.

I would imagine he thinks that Hearn could have made the Carl Froch fight for him if he really wanted to, and probably promised it too. Hearn is the sort of promoter that would have preferred Groves 3 to Degale and I'm sure he figured he wasn't high up on the priority list so looked elsewhere. Making a ton of money in the process so fair play to the lad.

James should be pleased he didn't, Froch would have given him a beating.

[davie]

He mocked Hearn a little while back. I think they are divorced now.

I would imagine he thinks that Hearn could have made the Carl Froch fight for him if he really wanted to, and probably promised it too. Hearn is the sort of promoter that would have preferred Groves 3 to Degale and I'm sure he figured he wasn't high up on the priority list so looked elsewhere. Making a ton of money in the process so fair play to the lad.

James should be pleased he didn't, Froch would have given him a beating.

I said this a while back.

Levels wise there's not a lot in it, I'd probably just lean towards Froch.
But stylistically, I think Froch would be all wrong for James, there's no way he could deal with the pressure and workrate.

James likes time and space to work (and is admittedly very good at using his skills and movement to find that time and space) but I suspect Carl would have come out of the blocks like he did against Bute and gone through him

[samwbr]

I would imagine he thinks that Hearn could have made the Carl Froch fight for him if he really wanted to, and probably promised it too. Hearn is the sort of promoter that would have preferred Groves 3 to Degale and I'm sure he figured he wasn't high up on the priority list so looked elsewhere. Making a ton of money in the process so fair play to the lad.

James should be pleased he didn't, Froch would have given him a beating.

I said this a while back.

Levels wise there's not a lot in it, I'd probably just lean towards Froch.
But stylistically, I think Froch would be all wrong for James, there's no way he could deal with the pressure and workrate.

James likes time and space to work (and is admittedly very good at using his skills and movement to find that time and space) but I suspect Carl would have come out of the blocks like he did against Bute and gone through him

I don't think Degale actually wanted anything to do with Froch for all the reasons you say.
But I think Froch was a few levels above Degale tbh.

[brian13]

Froch and DeGale would have been a close fight and a bad fight. Their styles would not have worked. Froch would have won a close decision .

[Stuarty]

Froch and DeGale would have been a close fight and a bad fight. Their styles would not have worked. Froch would have won a close decision .

With the way they both fought they'd have both had their moments I reckon. Froth would've struggled with DeGales movement and boxing skill but when DeGale done his usual and took a breather Froch would've been all over him. I always thought DeGale would've been all wrong for Froch but I'm not so sure now tbh. DeGale would've had to work for every minute of every round and we've yet to see him do that.

[lefty]

Degale is a loss waiting to happen with his breaks and Jack could be all wrong for him with his workrate.

He is a loss waiting to happen but I think it'll take someone better than Jack to do it. He's good at what he does but he's nothing special. DeGale will make things harder than they need to be but he should still get the win. I rate Dirrell as a far better fighter than Jack and DeGale managed the win there although he made hard work of it!

Jack has a few good wins as well though. Anthony Dirrell and Groves were close but solid wins. Maybe he's better than he looks?

If DeGale wins and looks good then maybe a fight against the Kovalev v Ward fight would be an option at LHW? Then we'd probably see that loss lol.

The Dirrell that Degale fought was a shadow of the one that gave Froch all he could handle imo. Dirrell's footspeed in particular has slowed considerably. His hand and footspeed were a big part of making him what he was.

[Counter-puncher]

Dirrell was much more convenient for degale stylewise, too. The 3 minutes of every round/12 round tempo of Jack is what (rightly) make people wonder if he'll benefit from Degale's flaws in that regard.

[Stuarty]

Degale is a loss waiting to happen with his breaks and Jack could be all wrong for him with his workrate.

He is a loss waiting to happen but I think it'll take someone better than Jack to do it. He's good at what he does but he's nothing special. DeGale will make things harder than they need to be but he should still get the win. I rate Dirrell as a far better fighter than Jack and DeGale managed the win there although he made hard work of it!

Jack has a few good wins as well though. Anthony Dirrell and Groves were close but solid wins. Maybe he's better than he looks?

If DeGale wins and looks good then maybe a fight against the Kovalev v Ward fight would be an option at LHW? Then we'd probably see that loss lol.

The Dirrell that Degale fought was a shadow of the one that gave Froch all he could handle imo. Dirrell's footspeed in particular has slowed considerably. His hand and footspeed were a big part of making him what he was.

I can't stand Dirrell outside the ring but I think as a fighter he's top drawer and DeGale maybe doesn't get the credit he deserves for that win. Over the pond as well. He's probably lost a little speed but when he fought DG he was still very very fast DG just had the technique to nullify him for the best part of the fight. He still troubled DG a lot. If Dirrell is fit I think he beats Jack with ease.