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Ringside Rewind: The night James DeGale made history

Friday 13 January 2017 12:40, UK

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For this week’s Ringside Rewind, have a look back at when James DeGale beat Andre Dirrell to become the IBF super-middleweight champion

As James DeGale’s blockbuster unification showdown with Badou Jack draws closer, Ringside Rewind looks back at the historic night in Boston when he became world champion.

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Having previously won British and European titles, in 2015, DeGale went on the road to take on talented American Andre Dirrell for the vacant IBF super-middleweight world title in a career-defining fight.

It was the Londoner’s opportunity to become the first British Olympic gold medallist to add a world title to his resume and ‘Chunky’ produced a performance befitting of his honours.

James DeGale
Image: DeGale has since made two defences of the IBF strap against Lucian Bute and Rogelio Medina (pictured left)

DeGale floored his man twice in the second round as he made a blistering start, but then slowed up in the second half of the fight to make the scorecards much closer than they perhaps needed to be.

Despite many expecting a technical chess match, the fight flared into a hurtful and spiteful clash on a historic night for the Brit.

Also See:

Watch James DeGale v Badou Jack in a unification fight from the Barclays Center, New York, live on Sky Sports 1, 2am, Sunday, January 15.

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