James Degale ABANDONS IBF TITLE BELT...."I WANT THE BIG FIGHTS"

KENNY DA COOKER

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Two time world champion James DeGale has vacated his IBF super-middleweight title.

DeGale, 32, lost the title to Caleb Truax in December but won a rematch to reclaim the belt in Las Vegas in April.

He says the decision to vacate is to free him up to pursue "massive fights" rather than face mandatory defences ordered by the IBF.

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"My team have been working very hard and we've got some very big, exciting news to announce soon," said DeGale.

"No world champion easily gives up their title. I've proudly held the IBF title in two reigns with pride and distinction which is why it makes it very hard decision to relinquish the belt.

"I'm in the final phase of my career where I have a few good years left where I can be involved in massive fights and really leave a legacy in the division's history."

DeGale looked set to face Venezuela's Jose Uzcategui, who is ranked number one with the IBF.

But his decision to vacate opens up possibilities and some reports state DeGale is negotiating to face WBA champion George Groves, who beat him in 2011.

Groves is due to face Callum Smith in the World Boxing Super Series final so any meeting with DeGale could place that bout in doubt.
 

patscorpio

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Jose Uzcategui would have ended is career ..

pretty much..speaking of him...we have a new IBF 168 Champion..for those wondering this is one of the ways interim titles are supposed to work

Jose Uzcategui is Now Full Champ, IBF Orders Caleb Plant Fight

By Keith Idec

As expected, the IBF has elevated Jose Uzcategui from its interim super middleweight champion to super middleweight champ now that James DeGale has given up that title.

The IBF also revealed Thursday that it has ordered Uzcategui to make a mandatory defense of his 168-pound championship against Caleb Plant. Handlers for Uzcategui and Plant have been given until August 5 to come to an agreement or a purse bid will be ordered.

The 25-year-old Plant, a native of Ashland City, Tennessee, is ranked No. 2 by the IBF among its super middleweight contenders. The top spot in the IBF’s 168-pound ratings is vacant.

uzcategui-dirrell-rematch%20(13).jpg


Plant (17-0, 10 KOs) out-boxed Mexico’s Rogelio Medina (38-9, 32 KOs) to win his most recent bout by unanimous decision, a 12-rounder February 17 in El Paso, Texas.

Venezuela’s Uzcategui (27-2, 23 KOs) won the IBF’s interim title from Andre Dirrell (26-3, 16 KOs) in their rematch March 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 27-year-old Uzcategui battered Dirrell until Dirrell’s cut man, Jacob “Stitch” Duran, instructed a New York State Athletic Commission official to have referee Ricky Gonzalez stop their bout before the ninth round started.

The IBF ordered a purse bid June 25 for DeGale-Uzcategui because their handlers hadn’t come to an agreement within the allowable 30 days. It was scheduled for noon Thursday at the IBF’s headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey, but it was canceled Tuesday because DeGale gave up his title rather than moving forward with a fight against Uzcategui.

The 32-year-old DeGale relinquished the IBF title to pursue higher-profile fights that’ll make him more money.

England’s DeGale regained the IBF 168-pound championship April 7, when he beat Minnesota’s Caleb Truax by unanimous decision in their immediate 12-round rematch in Las Vegas. Truax (29-4-2, 18 KOs) recorded one of boxing’s biggest upsets of 2017 when he traveled to London and defeated DeGale (24-2-1, 14 KOs) by majority decision December 9 to take the IBF super middleweight championship from him.

this could have been andre dirrell in this scenario :francis:
 

Kunty McPhuck

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eubank jr..i can see..callum smith not really...he hasnt been too impressive in the WBSS,..BJS is a wildcard :ehh:

They all pay days over here for DeGale vs any of those names.

Easy fights to sell. At least 2 of Groves, Jr, Callum & BJS can be shown on PPV over here and Groves could be a stadium fight at Stamford Bridge/Emirates.

Jr/DeGale just :mjlit:

Callum can avenge Paul's loss to DeGale.
 

reservoirdogs

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eubank jr..i can see..callum smith not really...he hasnt been too impressive in the WBSS,..BJS is a wildcard :ehh:
I can see Eubank beating him
Degale is washed and Idk if he has anything to keep Eubank off of him except if you excel in some other territory but Degale doesn't. You need to do that to beat him. Truax was bating up on him on their first fight and he only did a little better on the second. Degale doesn't have Groves' jab, straight and consistency to do that imo.
 
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