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Vinny’s Views: Caleb Truax Vs James DeGale: The Facts, The Stats & The Fight Prediction Is In!

By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

If you think outside the quadrilateral parallelogram long enough you see things more clearly with a wider spectrum view. When that square is lined with ropes and has a canvas for a floor, second sight is imperative to a boxer’s well being not just his bank account. Murphy’s Law has proven time again in all walks of life the metaphoric circumstances of “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” Even the best insurance plans can back fire with narrow thinking ambiguity when beguiled by the greed of money and less concern for those dearest to us.

Exhibit “A” the Rematch Clause, that fascinating footnoted asterisk at the end of a contract that guarantees a champion an automatic rematch in case he has been shafted by judges, is stopped by accidental cut or heaven forbid got his ass kicked. The wicked minded start shuffling their briefcases looking for the paper work around the eleventh round when they use their pocket calculator and realize their boxer will be kissing his belt goodbye in the next few minutes so they prepare for the next battle of words in post-fight press conference. Problem is, if losing fighter just took a savage beating or requires a lengthy stay out of the ring rehabbing, why on earth would anyone look to push your protégé’ back onto the battle field without taking the proper time necessary before come back 100%? In recent memory besides Manny Pacquiao taking almost a year off to heal mind, body and soul after brutal one punch knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez how many other fighters put their pride aside and refuse to allow personal feelings of doubt to interfere in what is best for their health in the long run?

The Event:

Former IBF Super Middleweight champion James DeGale Will be enforcing his immediate rematch clause against new champion and nemesis Caleb Traux. Bout will again have title on the line with roles reversed and presented by Showtime Boxing on April 7. This intriguing do-over will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and stand co-feature to Erislandy Lara fighting a unification match with Jarrett Hurd at Jr. Middleweight, card promoted by Frank Warren.

Last Fight:

Both combatants tangled this past December at the Copper Box Arena in London England with James DeGale making the fourth defense of title he won against Andre Dirrell by UD in 2015 for vacant title. The former champion was a 4/1 favorite to retain his title but lost steam as early as the second round and for the second bout in a row sustained a beating. Recently ranked in top dozen of the best fighters in the world turning back the challenge of Traux was supposed to be nothing more than the formality of showing up. Only problem was, James didn’t, just a shell of the once terrific fighter did!

The Stats:

Champion Caleb Truax is an American boxer who hails from Osseo, Minnesota. Standing 6’ tall he has a good concerning reach of 75” and fights out of the orthodox stance. At 34 years of age he has arrived not a moment too soon and made the most out of what could have easily have been his last shot at the big time and did not disappoint. His well-traveled record is 29-3-2, 29 KO’s. Of note, Caleb’s three losses happened when he stepped up his game to face “A” level competition. He was turned back each time by Jermain Taylor, Anthony Dirrell, and Daniel Jacobs. The hard working boxer had taken serious notes witnessing DeGale’s draw against Badou Jack in his previous bout which was a unification match. Bout was ruled a draw and its conclusion had Ringside Reports blessing yet no can deny that while Jack was out boxed the first half of bout

he delivered a steady beating over second half and got stronger as rounds progressed. Jack pummeled his counterpart who did not fight well when forced to the ropes and has an inability to box moving backwards. . Traux used same tactics which appeared to kick in a handful of rounds earlier than when Badou tried them.

DeGale is based out of Hammersmith, West London, England and is a talented southpaw boxer who based on recent injuries has most likely past his prime already at the age of 32. He stands an even 6’ with a 74” wingspan, and proudly owns a ledger of 23-2-1, 14 KO still believing he is indeed the best in division and that his old belt is strictly on loan. James is a smooth boxer with snap on his punches which he uses to keep his foes at bay while he usually is in perpetual motion. His chin is of the precarious variety where it doesn’t let him down, yet foolishly allows him to withstand too much unnecessary punishment.

What to look for fight night: The DeGale camp has predicated revenge as the main motive for rematch believing their fighter can turn the tide this outing with his superior skills but failed to take into account that the scoring of first bout was quite generous of 114-114, 115-112, and the more realistic 116-112. DeGale believes he has now truly rested his battered body and the will box 12 rounds keeping the champion eating jabs and on his heels. Watch to see how many rounds it takes for the “pattern” to develop where James takes an early lead but surrenders real estate and retreats to the ropes wondering why he felt great in the gym but his body doesn’t respond.

The Vinny Factor:

In this report maybe it should read the “DeGale” factor. Fourteen months ago DeGale and Badou Jack just missed preforming the fight of the year losing out to immensely popular heavyweight showdown of Wlad Klitschko passing the proverbial torch to Anthony Joshua. For 12 rounds it was orchestrated mayhem as both gents took turns boxing and brawling but it was James who took the worse for wear. Not only was he dropped in final round completely broken but he had two front teeth knocked out, and suffered a punctured ear drum. In September he suffered a tear and rotor cuff damage to his shoulder as well damage to AC joint.

Operated in October he was told this usually is a career ending injury and would require at least six months of rehabilitation and rest before resuming his training. James being smarter than the doctors opted to defend his title 2 months later and again sustained a beating. This time out James got his nose broken (deviated septum) and took a beating in the fifth round as well as having taken too much casual punishment every round.

Afterwards DeGale blamed on taking Traux too lightly as well as coming back from shoulder injury too quickly. So, what does he do? Buy a ticket or pull up a seat and watch the old adage come to fruition, “Those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Just three months removed from all the pain and drama he will once again step inside his personal hell that was designed for others with the expectations of a different result. Add to this James makes a sometimes unforgivable mistake for a southpaw. When he boxes behind lead right jab and circles to his right he often in midflight changes direction and circles to his left exposing left side of head for an orthodox right hand counter. If this was a Badou Jack rematch instead of Caleb Traux Ringside Report would Handicap Jack to win by KO stoppage in mid rounds.

Odds:

Vegas has inexplicably installed the ex-champion a favorite to regain his throne at -7000, while showing little respect for his conqueror at +2500. There has been a serious rush to judgment ignoring the facts that James suffered more than an “off’ night at his last two rodeos.

Prediction:

Traux will once again have his hand raised in victory once again defying the odds.

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