James DeGale

James DeGale
DeGale in 2011
Statistics
Real name	James Frederick DeGale
Nickname(s)	Chunky
Rated at	Super-middleweight
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1]
Reach	74 in (188 cm)
Born	(1986-02-03) 3 February 1986[1] Hammersmith, West London, England
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	24
Wins	23
Wins by KO	14
Losses	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games 2008 Beijing Middleweight Representing  England Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne Middleweight EU Championships 2007 Dublin Middleweight 2008 Cetniewo Middleweight

James Frederick DeGale, MBE (born 3 February 1986) is a British professional boxer. He has held the IBF super-middleweight title since 2015, having previously held the British super-middleweight title from 2010 to 2011, and the European super-middleweight title from 2011 to 2012. As an amateur, DeGale represented Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the middleweight division. By later becoming IBF champion, he became the first ever British boxer to have won both an Olympic gold medal and a professional world title.

Background

Born to a black Grenadian father and a white British mother, DeGale started amateur boxing at the Trojan club at the age of 10 before moving to Dale Youth boxing club.^[2] As a boy he soon acquired the nickname "Chunky",^[3] a name that has followed him throughout his career. The predominantly southpaw Londoner fights as a switch hitter. At the Commonwealth Games 2006 he won Bronze when he lost to Jarrod Fletcher.

DeGale has stated on numerous occasions that he is a big Arsenal fan and frequently fights with the Arsenal F.C. Club logo on his robe and shorts.

Amateur career

Amateur record: 79–16.

DeGale represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the Middleweight boxing event, winning the gold medal. In the quarter finals he beat a former Olympic gold medalist from Athens (Bakhtiyar Artayev) and in the semi-final once again beat the late Irishman Darren Sutherland (prior to this latest meeting the boxers had fought five times with Sutherland winning four and DeGale only one). In the final DeGale won a scrappy and bad tempered affair against the Cuban Emilio Correa who was docked two points in the first round for biting DeGale's shoulder.^[4]

World amateur championships results

2007 (as a middleweight)

• Lost to Alfonso Blanco (Venezuela) 13–28

Olympic results

2008

• Defeated Mohamed Hikal (Egypt) 13–4
• Defeated Shawn Estrada (USA) 11–5
• Defeated Bakhtiyar Artayev (Kazakhstan) 8–3
• Defeated Darren Sutherland (Ireland) 10–3
• Defeated Emilio Correa (Cuba) 16–14

Professional career

On 2 December 2008, he agreed a deal with promoter Frank Warren to become professional along with Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders. The contract agreed was rumoured to be worth around £1.5 million.^[5]

DeGale was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.^[6]

Early career

On 28 February 2009 DeGale made his professional debut against Vepkhia Tchilaia, winning a points decision by 40–36. DeGale received a mixed reaction from the crowd, who booed him after being taken the distance by his little-known opponent. However, DeGale was also backed by others in attendance, as Tchilaia chose to box extremely defensively.^[7] Five more victories followed before DeGale won his first regional championship, the WBA International super-middleweight title, stopping Sam Horton in five rounds. On 18 September 2010, DeGale made the first defence of his title against Carl Dilks, winning by stoppage near the end of the first round.

Frank Warren revealed that DeGale would challenge Paul Smith for the British super-middleweight title on Warren's blockbuster event in Liverpool, which was set for 11 December at the Echo Arena.^[8] The bill included fellow Olympians Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders, as well as Nathan Cleverly and Kell Brook. DeGale went on to defeat Smith via ninth-round stoppage to become the British super-middlewight champion.

First loss and comeback

On 21 May 2011, DeGale suffered his first professional loss to fellow Dale Youth Boxing Club graduate George Groves, in what was seen as a very close fight. The judges scored the bout 115–115, 115–114, 115–114; a majority decision (MD). DeGale returned on 15 October 2011 to defeat Piotr Wilczewski by MD to win the European super-middleweight title. In February 2012, DeGale signed a sponsorship deal with Bulk Powders sport supplements.^[9]

Signing with Matchroom Sport

On 10 April 2014, DeGale signed a promotional deal with Matchroom Sport. DeGale made his first appearance under Matchroom on the undercard of the Carl Froch and George Groves rematch at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 2014. He stopped opponent Brandon Gonzáles in the 4th round.

IBF super-middleweight champion

DeGale vs. Dirrell, Bute

On 23 May 2015, DeGale beat American boxer Andre Dirrell by unanimous decision (24-1, 16 KOs) to win the vacant IBF super-middleweight title.^[10]

It was announced in mid-2015 that DeGale would take part in his first IBF super-middleweight title defence against Romanian fighter Lucian Bute. On 28 November 2015 in Quebec, Canada, DeGale defeated Bute via unanimous decision.^[11]

DeGale vs. Medina

On April 30, 2016, DeGale outpointed mandatory challenger Rogelio 'Porky' Medina (36-6, 30 KOs) at the D.C Armory in Washington, D.C.. DeGale won on all three judges scorecards (117-111, 116-112 and 115-113).^[12]

DeGale vs. Jack

Showtime Boxing confirmed that a unification fight between DeGale and WBC champion Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) was set for January 14, 2017. The fight was supposed to be announced for the autumn of 2016, however it had taken a little longer for the negotiations to complete. The vacant The Ring title would also be at stake as well as the WBC and IBF titles.^[13] On November 15, it was officially confirmed that the fight will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The first time both fighters would be fighting at the arena.^[14]

Professional boxing record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
25	N/A	N/A	Badou Jack	N/A	– (12)	14 Jan 2017	Barclays Center, New York City, New York, US	Defending IBF super-middleweight title; For WBC and vacant The Ring super-middleweight titles
24	Win	23–1	Rogelio Medina	UD	12	30 Apr 2016	DC Armory, Washington, DC, US	Retained IBF super-middleweight title
23	Win	22–1	Lucian Bute	UD	12	28 Nov 2015	Centre Vidéotron, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada	Retained IBF super-middleweight title
22	Win	21–1	Andre Dirrell	UD	12	23 May 2015	Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, US	Won vacant IBF super-middleweight title
21	Win	20–1	Marco Antonio Peribán	TKO	3 (12), 0:30	22 Nov 2014	Echo Arena, Liverpool, England
20	Win	19–1	Brandon Gonzáles	TKO	4 (12), 1:58	31 May 2014	Wembley Stadium, London, England
19	Win	18–1	Gevorg Khatchikian	TKO	11 (12), 2:58	1 Mar 2014	City Academy Sports Centre, Bristol, England	Retained WBC Silver super-middleweight title
18	Win	17–1	Dyah Davis	UD	12	16 Nov 2013	Bluewater, Stone, England	Retained WBC Silver super-middleweight title
17	Win	16–1	Stjepan Božić	RTD	4 (12), 3:00	8 Jun 2013	Bluewater, Stone, England	Retained WBC Silver super-middleweight title
16	Win	15–1	Sébastien Demers	KO	2 (8), 1:58	17 May 2013	Casino du Lac-Leamy, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
15	Win	14–1	Fulgencio Zúñiga	UD	12	8 Dec 2012	Sports Arena, Hull, England	Won vacant WBC Silver super-middleweight title
14	Win	13–1	Hadillah Mohoumadi	UD	12	13 Oct 2012	Bluewater, Stone, England	Retained European super-middleweight title
13	Win	12–1	Cristian Sanavia	TKO	4 (12), 2:58	21 Apr 2012	Arena Nord, Frederikshavn, Denmark	Retained European super-middleweight title
12	Win	11–1	Piotr Wilczewski	MD	12	15 Oct 2011	Echo Arena, Liverpool, England	Won European super-middleweight title
11	Loss	10–1	George Groves	MD	12	21 May 2011	The O2 Arena, London, England	Lost British super-middleweight title; For Commonwealth super-middleweight title
10	Win	10–0	Alpay Kobal	TKO	5 (8), 1:37	12 Mar 2011	Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
9	Win	9–0	Paul Smith	TKO	9 (12), 2:08	11 Dec 2010	Echo Arena, Liverpool, England	Won British super-middleweight title
8	Win	8–0	Carl Dilks	TKO	1 (10), 2:54	18 Sep 2010	LG Arena, Birmingham, England	Retained WBA International super-middleweight title
7	Win	7–0	Sam Horton	TKO	5 (12), 2:06	15 May 2010	Boleyn Ground, London, England	Won vacant WBA International super-middleweight title
6	Win	6–0	Matthew Barr	TKO	2 (6), 1:38	13 Feb 2010	Wembley Arena, London, England
5	Win	5–0	Nathan King	PTS	4	5 Dec 2009	Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England
4	Win	4–0	Ally Morrison	TKO	3 (6), 0:45	30 Oct 2009	Echo Arena, Liverpool, England
3	Win	3–0	Ciaran Healy	TKO	1 (4), 2:59	18 Jul 2009	MEN Arena, Manchester, England
2	Win	2–0	Jindrich Kubin	TKO	1 (4), 2:22	15 May 2009	Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
1	Win	1–0	Vepkhia Tchilaia	PTS	4	28 Feb 2009	National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England	Professional debut

Titles in boxing

References

External links

• Official website
• Professional boxing record for James DeGale from BoxRec
• Olympic profile
• Biography on Premier Boxing Champions website