James DeGale
It is far too easy to get carried away when an Olympic gold medallist turns pro, before ultimately ending up with egg on your face – the BBC paying Audley Harrison £1 million to broadcast his first ten bouts most prominently springs to mind – but with each passing fight James ‘Chunky’ DeGale (9-0, 7 KOs) looks the real deal.
His professional career got off to a rocky start when he was roundly booed while labouring to an unimpressive points victory over Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia (9-11-1, 5 KOs) but this says as much about the weight of expectation on his shoulders as it does about the actual performance. Since that fight he has come on leaps and bounds, culminating in the recent clinical dismantling of British champion Paul Smith (29-2, 15 KOs).
DeGale’s bout against the tough, seasoned scouser – in front of a partisan Liverpool crowd – was intended to be the first real test of his career but in reality it proved a mismatch with Chunky barely leaving second gear while showboating some marquee combos. Smith was eventually stopped by TKO in the 9th round.
It’s difficult to say how far DeGale can go – he has only fought domestic level opponents after all – but on paper he seems to have just about everything – lightning speed, decent power and a slickster Philly shell defence that makes him incredibly hard to hit. Indeed, at his best he appears like a rope-a-dope Jedi, bouncing, dodging and parrying his opponents’ attacks to such an extent that he has not actually been hit flush on the chin yet. Whether the 24-year-old can take a bomb is the $64,000 question and could be the definitive factor in whether DeGale will ultimately reach the pinnacle of the sport or flatter-to-deceive like the aforementioned Harrison.
George Groves (11-0, 9 KOs), or “the ugly ginger kid” as DeGale refers to him, is the mandatory to his British title. There is such an intense local rivalry – and no shortage of needle – that UK boxing fans are praying this fight gets made next. Frank Warren, DeGale’s promoter, already offered Groves a career high purse of £50,000 in September for a mooted December bout, which was side-stepped with a counteroffer by Groves’ slippery manager, Adam Booth – so whether it actually happens this time is anybody’s guess.
Provided DeGale avoids any slip-ups in his first British title defense, then Brian Magee’s recently vacated European title will be next on the agenda.
James DeGale quote:
“[George Groves] keeps using my name to get himself in the papers because, quite frankly, he’s not going to get talked about talent wise. Anyone who saw his fight with Kenny Anderson would know that he’s got about as much chance of beating me as he has winning a beauty contest. He’s been comparing himself this week to Bernard Hopkins, but he’s about as dangerous as Bernard Cribbins!”
Tip for 2011:
James DeGale is looking like the next-big-thing and I expect him to keep justifying the hype. Whether he faces Groves next or, more likely, another domestic opponent, he should come through unscathed. Despite recently being ranked No.5 by the WBO, a title shot for 2011 is unlikely, instead the smart money will back him to claim the European title before the end of the year.
