BOXING EU DO MY HEAD IN!
DeGale on rival Chris and dad
JAMES DeGALE admits the unthinkable has happened – he has found someone even more annoying than George Groves.
In fact, DeGale, the IBF super- middleweight champion reckons he’d probably put TWO people ahead of his old foe George now: Chris Eubank Jr, and Eubank’s dad.
DeGale and Groves have been sworn enemies since their days as teen rivals in the amateur game – and now that both are world champions it is only a matter of time before they fight again.
But before that happens, WBA ‘ Super’ super- middleweight champion Groves, and Eubank – who holds the IBO version of the title – will square off in the World Boxing Super Series semi-finals next February.
While DeGale now wishes he was involved in that tournament, which also features Callum Smith, he insists he’ll be ready and waiting for the winner.
And asked who is now the bigger irritant for him between Groves and Eubank, DeGale said: “I used to think Groves but Eubank, oh, Eubank and his dad (right), you can’t beat them.
“The Super Series is good and I’m a bit gutted I’m not in it.
“But it’s only right that whoever is No.1 sits back and watches it, and the rest fight it out to box him.
“I originally said Callum Smith would win, but I’m not too sure.
“Obviously I would like the winner, but domestically they are all fantastic fights.
“Even the loser of GrovesEubank, or the loser in the finals, I would happily box them.
“Watching the Super Series is exciting and it’s only right that they fight for the right to fight me.
“Do I regret it now, not being involved in the tournament myself? Yes.
“But there’s nothing I could have done. I needed my shoulder sorted and I needed to have it done, because I wasn’t going to box injured any more – and I’m glad it’s done.”
DeGale went under the knife in June, but little more than five months further on he is fighting fit again and looking forward to making his ring return this Saturday. DeGale takes on Caleb Truax (left) a t Lon d o n ’ s Copper Box Arena in what will be his first outing since his drawn fight with the WBC supermiddleweight champion Badou Jack back in January. It will also be his first fight in Britain for more than three years.
DeGale added: “I’m really happy, this is my homecoming and I can’t wait.
“In the fight with Badou Jack, I used seven jabs the whole fight, it was crazy.
“I was boxing handicapped. I’m just going to show you lot that it really was my arm.
“It shows how good I am that I was boxing with one arm. I’ve had a bit of a stick about my next opponent ( Truax), but he’s ranked in the top 15 and this is the perfect fight back.
Squeeze
“He’s a fringe world- class opponent, and I’ve just come off surgery.
“I’ll not have boxed for a whole year by the time I fight, so people have to give me a squeeze really. If you look at my last four fights I’ve fought Badou Jack in New York, Rogelio Medina in Washington, Lucian Bute in Canada and Andre Dirrell in Boston.
“I deserve someone who’s not a world beater.
“But, listen, these are the dangerous fights, these are the ones where you have to be switched on – because he has nothing to lose.”