It’s a big fight if not a massive one and it’s a solid match-up that either fighter might win; and according to one of the principals, James DeGale, his super-middleweight unification showdown with Badou Jack is “nearly there” for either October or November in Las Vegas. Yet another important fight this year involving a British boxer, DeGale-Jack will see one fighter crowned as the IBF and WBC 168-pound ruler.
And the once-beaten DeGale says he will have to be at his best if he’s to defeat the once-beaten Jack.
“Everything hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it’s nearly there,” DeGale said to Sky Sports of the fight with WBC champ Jack. “I was just having a bit of banter with Badou Jack, saying make sure my belt is shiny and ready for when I beat you. All I want to do is have my unification fight and win that WBC title. It’s every boxer’s dream to go to Las Vegas. I’ve agreed to do that. I’m a prizefighter, but this isn’t all about money. I would box Badou Jack for free. This is a very, very tough fight. I’ve got to be focused and I’ve got to be at my best to beat Jack.”
DeGale will reportedly be sparring with light-heavyweight Nathan Cleverly for this fight (Cleverly soon to have a big title shot of his own, against Juergen Braehmer) and it will be the 30-year-old’s fourth consecutive fight on the road. DeGale, a fine fighter who gets nowhere near the fanfare or overall attention he should be getting, is quietly carving out a reputation as one of British boxing’s best champions. Willing to fight the best, in their backyard (Jack was born in Sweden but he lives in Las Vegas) DeGale, 23-1(14) and an Olympic gold medal winner, has done things the hard way.
Coming off a third successful defence of the IBF belt he won by beating Andre Dirrell in May of last year, the southpaw will arguably score the biggest win of his entire career if he can best Jack. Jack, who won the WBC crown with a points win over Andre’s brother, Anthony, also last year, in April, has made two retentions and he too is hungry to own two world titles. This is an excellent match-up between two peaking champions, DeGale being the younger man by two years. The two have some common opponents, including George Groves who is the only man to have beaten DeGale (via 12-round MD) and Lucian Bute. DeGale beat Bute in a thriller that went 12, Jack got a controversial 12-round draw against Bute (who later failed a drugs test) most people thought he won, while “The Ripper” won a close one against Groves.
Aside from the shock (fluke?) early TKO loss he suffered at the hands of Derek Edwards back in early 2014, Jack, 20-1-2(12) has not put a foot wrong (his other draw coming against Marco Antonio Periban in 2013). A good case could be made for either man winning this unification battle in Vegas. A distance fight looks a good bet. Let’s just hope there is no crazy scoring in this fight.