By Shaun Campbell: So battle for the British Super-middleweight title on the magnificent ‘GR8 Britain vs. The World’ card, James Degale will challenge for his first major title against current holder Paul Smith. For some, it is a surprisingly tough fight to call, as Degale is the young unbeaten prospect, where as Smith will be desperate to show experience is what matters.
Paul Smith
DeGale-Smith: Paul will be too clumsy to win this fight
By Scott Gilfoid: British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) has the bad luck of facing talented unbeaten 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) on December 11th at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside. This is supposed to be Smith’s last fight at this level before moving up to the world class level after this fight. Unfortunately, the move to the world level will have to wait a while longer for Smith, because I fully expect him to get spanked by DeGale and sent right back to the starting blocks having to fight his way back up to the British title level.
Paul Smith says he won’t be holding back against DeGale on 12/11
By Scott Gilfoid: British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) is facing a living nightmare in unbeaten James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) on December 11th at the Echo Arena, in Liverpool, England. Smith, 28, has looked mediocre in his past two fights against Tony Quigley and Tony Dodson.
DeGale should be able to hurt Smith with uppercuts
By Scott Gilfoid: If unbeaten super middleweight prospect James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) wants to look for a weakness in his next opponent British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s), then he needs to focus on using a lot of uppercuts to exploit Smith’s problems with dealing with those kinds of punches. Smith, 28, doesn’t seem to have any defense for an uppercut no matter how many times his opponents might throw one. In his fights with Tony Quigley and Tony Dodson, Smith was repeatedly tagged with these kinds of shots when he would come inside looking to clinch. Smith spends a good portion of every fight clinching after throwing a punch.
DeGale-Smith, Macklin-Varon, Cleverly-Lakatos, Brook, Bellew and Gavin on 12/11 card
By William Mackay: The December 11th fight card with Nathan Cleverly, Matthew Macklin, James DeGale, Paul Smith, Kell Brook, Frankie Gavin and Tony Ballew looked good to me at first but I’m not really impressed with the fights that I’m seeing the card thus far. Of the fights that have been confirmed for the card – Paul Smith vs. James DeGale, Frankie Gavin vs. Dean Harrison, Nathan Cleverly vs. Alejandro Lakatos and Matthew Macklin vs. Ruben Varon – those bouts don’t really aren’t all that spectacular to me. I like the DeGale-Smith fight, but that’s about it.
DeGale not worried about fighting Paul Smith in front of a hostile crowd
By Scott Gilfoid: Former 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) isn’t worried in the least about fighting British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) in front of a hostile crowd on December 11th when he takes on the 29-year-old Smith at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside. The 24-year-old DeGale doesn’t care that Smith will be fighting at home in front of thousands of supporters. DeGale, speaking to Frankwarren.tv, says “I think it’s fair to say I’m going into the lion’s den. But the stick that Jimmy McDonnell gives me in the gym means that I don’t care where I fight, it gives me a break. Jimmy’s on me all the time, telling me I need to buck up my ideas, so having all those people screaming abuse won’t make any difference.”
DeGale-Smith: James faces his first real test in taking on Paul
By Sean McDaniel: 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) is playing nice with EBU super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s), who the 24-year-old DeGale will be fighting on December 11h at the Echo Arena, in Liverpool. DeGale, speaking to thesun.co.uk, says “Of course it’s risky, but I’m confident in my ability and I know I’m going to win. I’ve got to go into the lion’s den and win but I’ve already said I’m the best British super middleweight and this is my chance to prove it.”
James DeGale vs. Paul Smith on December 11th
By Scott Gilfoid: 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist James DeGale (8-0, 6 KO’s) will be taking a slight step up in competition on December 11th against British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) in a bout at the Echo Arena, in Liverpool, according to The Mirror. I almost feel sorry for the 28-year-old Smith, because he’s going to get spanked in this fight by DeGale. Smith has had things pretty easy in fights against Tony Quigley and Tony Dodson, but now he’s going to be facing the best super middleweight in the UK in 24-year-old DeGale. I think Smith is going to take a royal beating in this fight. DeGale is going to take advantage of Smith’s clumsy movements, his lack of accuracy and his slow hand speed by knocking him out.
Warren should match DeGale vs. Paul Smith on 12/11
By Scott Gilfoid: Frank Warren has postponed the October 23rd his Liverpool Echo Arena card and moved it to December 11th. British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) was set to face Paul David (12-5, 5 KO’s) in a title bout that had be bored to tears.
Paul Smith should beat David, but DeGale will likely easily beat Smith
By Scott Gilfoid: British super middleweight champion Paul Smith (29-1, 15 KO’s) will be defending his title against Paul David (12-5, 5 KO’s) on October 23rd, at the Arena, in Liverpool, England. Smith, 28, is making his 2nd defense of his British title against David, a fighter who is coming off of a loss to Patrick Mendy. What kind of title defense is that? That just shows you how weak the British super middleweight division is fro Smith to be taking on a fighter like David, who I see as B level fighter. Why isn’t Smith stepping it up against George Groves or James DeGale already? Whatever the case, DeGale is waiting for him and will probably be Smith’s next opponent in December.