DeGale says he’s No.1 at 168

11/16/2015 by Boxing News

(Photo Credit: Frank Coppi/Matchroom Boxing) By Scott Gilfoid: With Andre Ward and Carl Froch both now officially gone from the super middleweight division, IBF 168lb champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) thinks he’s now the No.1 fighter in the division. Of course, this is just the 29-year-old DeGale’s opinion, because he still has unfinished business with Andre Dirrell from their very close fight earlier this year, and DeGale still hasn’t prove that he can beat Anthony Dirrell, Badou Jack, Julio Chavez Jr., or Arthur Abraham.

On November 28th of this month, DeGale will be fighting former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute 32-2, 25 KOs) at the Centre Videotron, in Quebec City, Quebec.

Carl Froch considering a return!

11/09/2015 by scottbells

froch11 By Scott Bells: So Carl Froch has finally come out and said he is considering a return to the ring, possibly to fight IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) (provided he beats Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs)). My initial reaction is the say to Froch to stay retired! Too many fighters have returned and looked a shadow of their former self, lost a fight and damaged their legacy.

For Froch, if he were to return, the only fight people would want to see would be him vs. middleweight Gennady Golovkin, and unfortunately I do not see it as a fight Froch would win. I am a huge Froch fan and think he has been one of the best and under-appreciated British world champions in recent history, but he has been in a lot of wars. Froch’s two fights against Mikkel Kessler were enough to stop many fighters from fighting again, but Froch’s first fight against George Groves also showed that he is slowing down, and that his punch resistance may have faded slightly.

Froch interested in DeGale fight if he beats Bute

11/09/2015 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF/WBA/WBC 168lb champion Carl Froch (33-2, 24 KOs) says he would potentially be interested in making a comeback to fight IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) if he defeats 35-year-old former IBF champ Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) this month if he beats him on November 28th at the Centre Videotron, in Quebec City, Quebec.

Froch, 38, is reportedly back in training for whatever that means. A fight with DeGale could be a possibility for him. As it is a lot of boxing fans think Froch ducked DeGale last year when he vacated his IBF title rather than facing him.

DeGale wants Badou Jack or Martin Murray next after Bute

11/05/2015 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) still hasn’t faced Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) yet, but he already has his next fight planned out in his mind if he can get past the 35-year-old Bute on November 28th at the Centre Videotron, in Quebec City, Quebec.

In a predictable move, DeGale wants to fight either Martin Murray (32-2-1, 15 KOs) or WBC super middleweight champ Badou Jack. Of course, Murray will have to do his part by defeating WBO 168lb champion Arthur Abraham (43-4, 29 KOs) in their fight on November 21st at the Tui Arena, in Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany.

DeGale interested in Martin Murray fight in 2016

10/28/2015 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) is possibly interested in a fight against fringe contender #15 WBO Martin Murray (32-2-1, 15 KOs) if he defeats WBO 168lb champion Arthur Abraham (43-4, 29 KOs) in their fight on November 21st at the Tui Arena, in Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany, and if DeGale defeats 35-year-old former IBF champion Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) in their fight on November 28th at the Centre Videotron, in Quebec City, Quebec.

In other words, DeGale is hoping for a unification fight against Murray in the UK if he wins the WBO title. If DeGale can’t get that fight, he wants a unification match-up with WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack next year in April.

DeGale-Bute card takes major hit, Beterbiev pulls out

10/20/2015 by Boxing News

By Tim Fletcher: The November 28th fight card headlined by IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) suffered a big blow on Tuesday with the reported injury of #1 IBF light heavyweight contender Artur Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs) for their fight card at the Centre Videotron, Quebec City, in Quebec, Canada.

Beterbiev hurt his shoulder in training and has pulled out of the card. Beterbiev never had an opponent that was signed up for the fight, but it’s still a major buzz-kill not having him on the card. With Beterbiev now off the card, it leaves only the light heavyweight clash between Eleider Alvarez and Isaac Chilemba as the only interesting undercard fight on the card.

James DeGale hits the road for world title defence against Lucian Bute

10/08/2015 by Boxing News

By Ian Aldous: On November 28th, James DeGale MBE (21-1) will travel to enemy territory as he defends his IBF world super-middleweight title against the man who held that very belt between 2007-2012, Lucian Bute (32-2). The Showtime and Sky Sports broadcast will emanate from the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada. I was at today’s press conference to promote the fight at the Emirates Stadium in North London – the home of DeGale’s favourite football team – Arsenal.

Froch: DeGale in no-win situation with Bute

10/06/2015 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) is in kind of a no-win situation with his upcoming first title defense against a past his best 35-year-old former IBF 168lb champ Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) on November 28th at the Centre Videotron, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Bute is considered to be over-the-hill by a lot of boxing fans, and he was previously whipped by Carl Froch in five rounds three years ago in 2012. Froch thinks that DeGale is in an impossible situation with the Bute fight.

If he beats him, boxing fans will compare his performance to that of Froch. If DeGale can’t measure up to the standard that Froch set in defeating Bute, then people won’t be impressed. If DeGale does destroy Bute, then some fans will make little of the win because they’ll think that Froch softened Bute up three years ago in beating him in 2012.

DeGale no longer interested in Groves fight

10/05/2015 by Boxing News

By Scott Gilfoid: Well, it looks like #1 WBC George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) can forget about a big payday fight against IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs), because he says he’s looking to fight the elite in the 168lb division like Andre Dirrell, Andre Ward and Arthur Abraham rather than the 27-year-old Groves, whose career is floundering and about sink into the murky depths of the cold ocean waters after his recent 12 round decision loss to the talented WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack on September 12th last month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The defeat for Groves was his third in his last five fights. With a record of 2-3 in his last 5 fights, Groves has been rejected as being not good enough to fight the 29-year-old DeGale.

Bute: DeGale’s IBF title will remain in Quebec

10/04/2015 by Boxing News

bute555 By Scott Gilfoid: Former IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) is looking forward to getting the current IBF 168lb champion James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) inside the ring so that he can beat him and regain his lost IBF title on November 28th at the Videotron Center in Quebec, Canada.

Bute lost his IBF title in a 5th round knockout defeat to Britain’s Carl Froch in 2012 in a fight that took place in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, UK. Now with Bute fighting in his adopted country of Canada, he has a chance to even the score by beating a Brit to regain his long lost IBF strap.