Froch ordered by IBF to start negotiations with DeGale

01/03/201501/03/2015 Bill Phanco

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) sent out a letter to IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (33-2, 24 KOs) on December 31st, ordering him to start the negotiation process with his IBF mandatory challenger James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs). If Froch fails to do this then the IBF will strip the 37-year-old Froch of his IBF title and then order #7 IBF Andre Dirrell to face DeGale for the vacant IBF strap.

Froch has been holding out for a fight against former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, because Froch believes that he’s a fighter popular enough for him to fight on pay-per-view in the United States. Chavez Jr has promotional issues with Top Rank, and it doesn’t look as if Froch will be able to get that fight with him anytime soon.

DeGale faces Periban on 11/22 on Bellew-Cleverly 2 card in Liverpool

10/09/201410/09/2014 Bill Phanco

Boxing fans will be seeing #1 IBF, #4 WBO James DeGale (19-1, 13 KOs) stepping into the ring to fight #11 WBC Marco Antonio Periban (20-2-1, 13 KOs) on 11/22 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. DeGale’s promoter Eddie Hearn made the announcement that DeGale-Periban has been added to the Tony Bellew – Nathan Cleverly 2 card as likely the chief support. Periban is a decent, but hardly great opponent.

It would be a lot more interesting to see DeGale fighting the guys that recently beat Periban in Sakio Bika or J’Leon Love. Hearn obviously doesn’t want to take any chances of DeGale getting beaten by matching him against someone with a decent chance of beating him like Bika and Love.

Golovkin closing in on Chavez Jr on Froch’s Facebook poll

08/13/2014 Jeff Sorby

On Tuesday, IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch asked boxing fans on his Facebook account to pick out who they would like to see him fight from these three fighters: Julio Cesar Chavez, James DeGale and Gennady Golovkin. Froch initially asked fans if they wanted to see him fight DeGale or Chavez Jr. But a couple hours later, Froch added Golovkin’s name to the list.

As you would guess, Chavez Jr jumped out to a huge lead over the other contestants. However, now a day later, Golovkin has narrowed Chavez Jr’s lead considerably and is within striking distance of taking the lead.

DeGale signs with Matchroom

04/10/201404/10/2014 Matchroom Boxing

James DeGale has signed a promotional deal with Matchroom Sport and will face Brandon Gonzales in a final eliminator for the IBF World Super Middleweight title on May 31 at Wembley Stadium connected by EE live on Sky Sports Box Office in association with Betway.

The 2008 Olympic Gold medal hero will take on the unbeaten American for the right to face the winner of Carl Froch and George Groves, as the Brit rivals do battle on the same night in a rematch for Froch’s WBA and IBF belts.

DeGale is on the cusp of his first World title challenge but the 28 year old knows Gonzales brings a great threat from across the pond, and the Londoner is delighted to be facing the 29 year old at the national stadium in his first fight with new promoter Eddie Hearn.

DeGale defeats Khatchikian in a surprisingly competitive fight

03/03/201403/02/2014 Bill Phanco

WBC Siler super middleweight champion James DeGale (18-1, 12 KO’s) stayed in line for a world title shot against WBC 168 lb champion Sakio Bika by defeated Gevorg Khatchikian (20-1, 8 KO’s) by an 11th round TKO last Saturday night at the City Academy Sports Centre, Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom.

DeGale knocked Khatchikian down a couple of times in the 11th round with body shots. Referee Mark Green then decided that Khatchikian had taken enough punishment so he stopped the bout at 2:58 of the round.

DeGale boxed beautifully through most of the fight. However, his habit of keeping his hands down by his sides led to DeGale getting nailed with a lot of hard right hands from Khatchikian. In the 5th round, DeGale got caught with a tremendous right hand from Khatchikian. DeGale backed up like he was hurt, and he took punishment for the remainder of the round.

Warren likes DeGale vs. Saunders bout in 2014

12/28/2013 Jeff Sorby

British fight promoter Frank Warren listed a number of fights that he would like to see take place in 2014, and one which is potential math-up between James DeGale (17-1, 11 KO’s) and the unbeaten middleweight #4 WBO, #11 IBF, #11 WBC, #15 WBA, Billy Joe Saunders (19-0, 10 KO’s). Warren sees this as a good fight that would do well in the UK in terms of making money and pleasing the fans.

The 6’0 1/2″ DeGale, #2 WBO, #3 WBC, #7 IBF, fights at super middleweight and would have a slight size advantage over the 5’11” Saunders. Both guys are southpaws, so it wouldn’t be a case of one of them being thrown off by the southpaw style of the other. That wouldn’t be the excuse for the loser one would hope.

DeGale defeats Davis by one-sided decision

11/17/201311/16/2013 Jeff Sorby

WBC Silver super middleweight champion James DeGale (17-1, 11 KO’s) easily beat American Dyah Davis (22-4-1, 10 KO’s) by a 12 round unanimous tonight in a one-sided fashion at the the Glow, Bluewater, Greenhithe, Kent, United Kingdom. DeGale made the fight much tougher than it should have by wasting lots of energy clowning around and trying to show off for the crowd.

If DeGale had instead channeled his showboating energy into throwing flurries, he probably would have stopped Davis within six rounds instead of having to go the distance. The judges scores were 118-110, 118-110 and 118-110. The scores were more than fair, because Davis didn’t do enough with his offense to make the fight a competitive one.

James DeGale Won’t Fail Punters

11/15/201311/14/2013 Stefanie Reeve

Pro-Boxer Frankie Monkhouse Previews this Weekend’s Boxing Action: Big time boxing returns to terrestrial TV this weekend as channel five bring us all of the action from Bluewater’s Glow in Kent, starting at 10pm. Heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury gets his latest run out but all eyes will be on James DeGale as the 27-year-old Londoner aims to defend his WBC Silver strap and move a step closer to a clash with Australian Sakio Bika who owns the WBC proper.

Old rival George Groves may be the talk of the town at the minute but James “Chunky” DeGale will go some way to confirming his reputation as a genuine title challenger if he can deal with opponent Dyah Davis in an impressive fashion. The American challenger has lost only three of 26 fights to date, one against Bika, a 10th round stoppage in June, but if the Englishman can do things a tad more convincingly, it would shoot him up the rankings and into the picture for major honours. The 6ft southpaw boxer brings a CV of 16 wins against that one famous reverse to city rival Groves back in 2011 and has halted each of his last two before the end of the fourth round.

DeGale wants Froch to KO Groves

08/01/201411/05/2013 Michael Collins

James DeGale thinks George Groves (19-0, 15 KO’s) is wasting his time with his efforts to try and unnerve IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) before their fight this month on November 23rd in Manchester, UK. Groves has Froch pretty flustered looking in their meeting on Sky Ringside last Thursday to the point where Groves felt that Froch was on verge of tears. DeGale thinks Froch is too good to lose to Groves .

DeGale said to the Daily Mail “George really believes he is going to win this fight but I have no idea where he gets his confidence. He comes across on TV like a cocky schoolboy but he’s kidding himself that he’s getting to Carl psychologically…I want him to knock him out. And I believe he will do that.”

DeGale Stays on Course; Galahad Impresses

06/10/201306/08/2013 Boxing Roundup

James DeGale made a successful first defence of his WBC Silver super middleweight title in Kent tonight against Stjepan Bozic. The English super middleweight improves to 16-1.

‘Chunky’ was entering the ring for the third time in only 6 months. The 2008 Olympic Gold medallist claimed the vacant title via a unaminous 12 round decision against the tough Colombian Fulgencio Zuniga back in December.

DeGale was guilty of losing focus that night, allowing his veteran opponent enjoy periods of success as the Englishman loitered unnecessarily on the ropes.

In his most recent outing the London native travelled to Canada where he comprehensively demolished Sebastien Demers in 2 aggressive rounds.