By Jim Dower: American boxing fans will be able to watch the February 23 fight between former IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale and Chris Eubank Jr. on a still to be determined network, according to Dan Rafael. The possible networks that could potentially televised the DeGale-Eubank Jr. fight are as follows: SHOWTIME or FOX/FS1.
Premier Boxing Champions has made a deal with ITV, who will be televising the DeGale (25-2-1, 15 KOs) vs. Eubank Jr. (25-2-1, 15 KOs) on pay-per-view on ITV in the UK.
“The fight will be shown in the U.S. but the network hasn’t been determined yet,” Premier Boxing Champions spokesman Tim Smith said to ESPN.com.
DeGale and Eubank Jr. will be squaring off in the main event on February 23 at the O2 Arena in London, England. The undercard is still yet to be determined. The only fight on the card right now is the DeGale-Eubank Jr. headliner.
It’s unknown how much interest American boxing fans will have in seeing two British fighters that they’re not familiar with. The hardcore boxing fans in the States know DeGale and Eubank Jr., but the casual fans. The fans that do know of DeGale and Eubank Jr. aren’t overly impressed with either of them. DeGale lost his IBF 168 lb title against fringe contender Caleb Truax two years ago in 2017. Although DeGale won his IBF belt back in defeating Truax last April, it was a controversial 12 round unanimous decision that could have gone the other way. It was not a fight showed any improvement in DeGale’s game from his first fight with Truax. DeGale should have fought Traux a third time to quiet the many boxing fans that felt that he was given a gift decision over him based on his popularity, but he hasn’t shown interest in doing that. It would make sense for the DeGale vs. Eubank Jr. fight to be shown in the U.S if either of them were going anywhere with their careers, but it doesn’t look either of them figure to be top level guys in the near future. DeGale looks like a shot fighter.
Premier Boxing Champions would do well to have British fighter Callum Smith televised in the U.S. He’s a talented fighter that recently won the World Boxing Super Series 168 pound tournament in 2018, and he’s considered to be the best fighter in the super middleweight division. Smith is going to be around for a long time, unlike DeGale, who looks like he’s on his way out of the sport. Eubank Jr. is going to be around for a long time as well, but he’s so badly flawed in the talent department that it really doesn’t matter how long he sticks around the sport.
Eubank Jr. lost to George Groves by a 12 round unanimous decision last year in February in the World Boxing Super Series final. Eubank Jr. put in a horrible performance that showed that he’s not going to be able to beat the best fighters in the super middleweight division.