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James DeGale – Badou Jack: Boxing Fans SCREAMING for a Rematch!

maxresdefaultBy Jeffrey “Italian Medallion” Cellini

Saturday night, in New York, the much anticipated unification showdown between WBC Super Middleweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack, 20-1-3, 12 KO’s and IBF Super Middleweight champion James “Chunky” DeGale, 23-1-1,14 KO’s ended in a majority draw. Judge Glenn Feldman scoring the bout 114-112 for DeGale and judges Julie Lederman and Steve Weisfeld both scoring it 113-113.

Not much had happened in the opening round until, with about 25 seconds remaining, DeGale, a southpaw, lunged at Jack and caught him with a clean straight left hand on the chin to knock him down. Jack did not appear hurt and he easily beat the count, but it gave the round clearly to DeGale.

DeGale was able gain control of the early rounds by firing quick combinations and using his foot speed to turn on Jack and give him angles.

The contest got heated up in the sixth round with Jack pressing the action and putting DeGale, 30, on the ropes as he fired numerous punches. Despite a high number of punches missing their mark, Jack was able to connect with some solid blows, including a right hand to the body. The crowd was in a frenzy as both fighters finished the round in exchanging big blows.

Early in the eighth round, the 33-year old Jack knocked DeGale’s mouthpiece out — and one of his teeth — and continued to land shots until Mercante called a brief timeout during a lull in the action to have the mouthpiece put back in his mouth. “The Ripper” kept it up when the fight resumed in a big round as DeGale’s right eye was swelling.

The fighters went after each other in the final round, but it was Jack who landed a huge right hand and knocked DeGale down midway through. DeGale, who was bleeding from his eye and his face badly beaten, held on to make it to the final bell despite a follow-up barrage of punches from Jack to end a tremendous fight.

“It was sensational,” said Lou DiBella, co-promoter of the card. “Those were two men, two real friggin’ men. That’s what it’s supposed to be. DeGale’s balls in the last round is a monument to who he is. I thought Jack was down, and he needed to climb back into the fight, and he did. Lot of close rounds. Great night for boxing.”

According to CompuBox statistics, Badou Jack landed 231 of his 738 total punches (31.3%) thrown as compared to James DeGale, who connected on 173 of his 597 total punches (29.0%). Jack had a slight advantage over DeGale in the number of jabs thrown (218 to 155) and the number of jabs connected (29 to 9). Both fighters landed nearly the same percentage of their power punches though. Jack landed 202 of his 520 power shots (38.8%) whereas DeGale connected on 164 of his 442 power shots (37.1%).

“I had to dig down deep and try to knock him out and finish strong,” Jack said. “I definitely finished strong. If it wasn’t for the flash knockdown, it’s a different result. I was never hurt on the knockdown. My feet got tangled a little bit, but I need to watch it again.

“I had him before the knockdown even happened. I knocked his tooth out. He couldn’t keep his mouthpiece in after that. It’s the third time now I’ve had a draw I didn’t agree with. I’m the so-called home fighter and it still happened. Next time I have to knock him out. That’s it.”
According to DeGale, the rematch may have to take place in the light heavyweight division..

“Let’s do it again,” he said. “Let’s do it again in London. He hit me [in the 12th], but I was more off balance. I respect him. He’s a good, all-round fighter. Let’s go again.”

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