BoxRec

"James DeGale: I'll do a 'maximum of four more fights' in two years and then retire" (Source: The Telegraph)

• George Groves II
• Callum Smith
• Gennady Golovkin
• Andre Ward

"They would all be great fights for different reasons, but I just want the big fights because I have reached close to my goal to having enough money to retire. I've been in this sport a long time and I genuinely don't want to go on too long. If the Golovkin or Ward fights could be in Las Vegas, great, but I'd like to fight here again in the UK after having four fights on the road."

Thoughts?

Good luck to him. None of those are easy fights and if only two of the four get made I'd be happy!

I can’t see Andre Ward facing James DeGale, because the S.O.G. is close to the end of his career. So win or lose against Kovalev, then he’ll likely retire, unless the GGG fight can be made.

Golovkin is looking to break Hopkins’ middleweight title defence record, which means he’s unlikely to make the jump to 168lbs until he has completed three more 160lbs bouts (or at least a year).

It should be a mere formality for James DeGale to face the likes of George Groves and Callum Smith, but I’m unsure whether either bout would be big enough to allow him to retire a wealthy man.

Good on him, although I don't know why he needs two years to have four fights.

His recent fights have been ageing fights & he sometimes seems like he is slurring when he speaks.

He needs to get out whilst he is still in good health.

Groves 2 will be lucrative and easy to hype.

Degales a bit of an enigma to me, early in his career he flattered to deceive and didn't justify the hype, groves boxed him well and it was a good thing for degale as he scaled back the arrogance and kept his head down and out the limelight so much. On his run to the title he looked red hot. Then come the title fight he was well in control vs dirrell but faded, and every fight since then he's been patchy. He did well to keep his own belt vs jack. That fight should be rematch imo.

All those 4 are tough fights. I agree he won't get ward. Groves short term is occupied with wba. Smith should be made next. Ggg has his goals at 160 short term also.

DeGale has skills it's the approach side of it that concerns me long term.

I still wanna see that Groves rematch.

I like DeGale. I would watch him fight anyone.

I don't like it when fighters who are basically in their prime start talking of retirement.

Remember Haye was retiring at 30 and Khan was retiring at 28

Good on him, big respect for Degale constantly taking on top opporsition away from home. He used to be so disliked but he's turned it around now. He's got a good shot at winning 3 of those fights IMO, not much Chance against Ward though.

Stuarty30 wrote:I don't like it when fighters who are basically in their prime start talking of retirement.

Remember Haye was retiring at 30 and Khan was retiring at 28

Very true.

Take it as read that DeGale will still be out there campaigning in 2027.

Stuarty30 wrote:I don't like it when fighters who are basically in their prime start talking of retirement.

Remember Haye was retiring at 30 and Khan was retiring at 28

Yes its a joke ... probably wants to retire because he got busted up and teeth knocked out in last fight, cant blame him.

I'd love to see him rematch Groves. I was thinking DeGale would KO him, but seeing as DeGale is still vulnerable, I think it's a 50-50.

Mexi-Box wrote:I'd love to see him rematch Groves. I was thinking DeGale would KO him, but seeing as DeGale is still vulnerable, I think it's a 50-50.

It'll always be 50-50 for those 2 guys till one of them declines from their level. Personally I like groves to watch over degale. Degale can be messy and frustrating sometimes imo

Ossyrules wrote:

Mexi-Box wrote:I'd love to see him rematch Groves. I was thinking DeGale would KO him, but seeing as DeGale is still vulnerable, I think it's a 50-50.

It'll always be 50-50 for those 2 guys till one of them declines from their level. Personally I like groves to watch over degale. Degale can be messy and frustrating sometimes imo

When Groves was looking like absolute garbage post-Froch and DeGale was rising up looking fantastic, I was heavily favoring DeGale.

Mexi-Box wrote:

Ossyrules wrote:

Mexi-Box wrote:I'd love to see him rematch Groves. I was thinking DeGale would KO him, but seeing as DeGale is still vulnerable, I think it's a 50-50.

It'll always be 50-50 for those 2 guys till one of them declines from their level. Personally I like groves to watch over degale. Degale can be messy and frustrating sometimes imo

When Groves was looking like absolute garbage post-Froch and DeGale was rising up looking fantastic, I was heavily favoring DeGale.

Around that period degale looked better I agree, but he's plateaud slightly and groves has come back. I think Groves looking garbage post Froch is an exaggeration but I think his belief waned slightly and his boxing did too, but only slightly. He still had enough to take Jack all the way despite the horrendous start he had. Degale really faired hardly any better, and he had a great start.

I think it's a 50-50 mainly cos of the history making it a grudge match, changing the psychology a bit

Ossyrules wrote:

Mexi-Box wrote:

Ossyrules wrote:

It'll always be 50-50 for those 2 guys till one of them declines from their level. Personally I like groves to watch over degale. Degale can be messy and frustrating sometimes imo

When Groves was looking like absolute garbage post-Froch and DeGale was rising up looking fantastic, I was heavily favoring DeGale.

Around that period degale looked better I agree, but he's plateaud slightly and groves has come back. I think Groves looking garbage post Froch is an exaggeration but I think his belief waned slightly and his boxing did too, but only slightly. He still had enough to take Jack all the way despite the horrendous start he had. Degale really faired hardly any better, and he had a great start.

I think it's a 50-50 mainly cos of the history making it a grudge match, changing the psychology a bit

I mean looking back, Groves should get a lot more credit for his performance against Jack. Man, everyone was treating Jack like a glass-jawed fraud for the longest time. Now, Groves' performance against him is looking really good since Jack arguably beat DeGale.

From what I've seen and heard, for me, Badou Jack goes up a division as the man at 168. He man handled Degale at times, and has really been unfortunate to be on the end of two draws, but Jack is the real deal, immense fundamentals, size & strength, whether or not he'll make it at LHW I don't know. I hope so.

Degale is what he is, the Jack fight proved it beyond doubt for me. I had him beating Groves the first time or at least a draw, but since he's scraped by Dirrell, Bute & Medina before a poor performance, albeit a hearty one, against Jack. This division is wide open.

Jack reminds me of Prince Charles Williams a little bit, in the sense of doing nothing brilliantly but most things quite well.

I think Jack is a bit underrated and agree with counter puncher, an all rounder. He looked the guvnor in there vs chunky, the fight was very close, but similar to Del Boy vs Whyte, one stronger than the other