James DeGale: The History Man

James DeGale: The History Man

You can tell a lot about a fighter in defeat, we learnt far more on Sugar Ray Leonard when he bravely, stupidly even, brawled with Roberto Duran in their incredible first meeting in Montreal.

James DeGale has never been one to quit when the going gets tough, Badou Jack would be the first witness called to testify to that. At the O2 on Saturday night we yet again saw what DeGale is made of.

The former Olympic champion proved himself again, even in defeat, not that he needed to. It must have been apparent to him from as early as round 2, where DeGale first visited the canvas, that it was not to be his night.

Far lesser men would have looked for a way out, but DeGale has no quit in him. DeGale took the punches and plenty of them, and still wouldn’t go. I would have been happy if he had been pulled out at the end of the disastrous 10th, where any lingering hope of victory was extinguished in that torrid round.

DeGale had fought his fight, realistic ambitions of salvaging the fight and his career had gone. But DeGale wanted to go out on his shield, and he did, that was his victory in an otherwise disastrous night.

The route to victory was always going to be who could make the fight their type of fight, Eubank Jr won that battle and ultimately the war.

DeGale looked in fantastic shape, but looks can be so deceiving, Eubank Jr at this stage of his career was all wrong for him. DeGale needed space, time to rest, Eubank Jr wouldn’t oblige him, dirty at times, WWE even at one point, but effective nonetheless.

Injuries and a period of his career spent in the wilderness restricted his achievements, but his resume nevertheless is hugely impressive. An Olympic gold medal, a former British and European champion, a two-time champion of the world, not many will leave the sport with that kind of CV.

DeGale in truth has been fading for a while, the Jack fight probably took away much of what was left. Saturday night proved what most suspected, it was predictable, sad, but DeGale gave everything that remained, and now there is nothing more to give, the torch well and truly passed.

If this is the end for DeGale and personally I hope it is, he deserves the respect which sadly hasn’t always been there, the lack of love and appreciation I’ve never really understood, DeGale deserved better.

DeGale at his peak was an exceptional fighter and the losses shouldn’t define his career, and he deserves the last say on his career:

“Olympic gold, made history. I’m the history man, I’ve left my mark in boxing, if I call it a day now.”