Chris Eubank Jr and James DeGale lock horns on February 23 in a Super Middleweight clash at the O2 Arena, London. DeGale is a former titlist and Eubank a crowd favorite antagonist still seeking world glory. The event airs on ITV’s Box Office arm as part of a new three-year deal between the UK broadcaster and PBC/Haymon Sports.
Eubank-DeGale: Fight Preview
Are Eubank Jr and DeGale worth the £19.95 price tag? Being a member of the hardened fight fan club – we’re a cynical, grimacing lot – my eyes rolled into the back of my skull when I realised the fight would be riding the PPV train. And with good reason; this fight isn’t all that meaningful for the Super Middleweight scene.
With no title on the line, Eubank-DeGale’s chief selling point is the ‘domestic grudge match’ angle. In other words, both guys are British, dislike each other, and so now we’ve got a huge, must-see fight on our hands, apparently.
When it comes to grudge matches, it’s usually the collisions of blue chip prospects/world champions that blows my hair back. (Carl Frampton-Scott Quigg and even DeGale-George Groves comes to mind.) But to call Eubank-DeGale a grudge match seems a bit reaching. If anything, I’d say it’s more of a crossroads type affair, lacking the fiery intensity for PPV.
It strikes me as an event where both men need each other in equal measure; Eubank, having failed to live up to the hype, has the opportunity to beat a recognized, albeit past his best, fellow Brit, and DeGale has a lucrative exit strategy, perhaps happy to roll the dice in an all-or-nothing outing.
James DeGale (25-2-1, 15 KO)
DeGale, 32, is the savvier boxer and veteran, but he’s been criticised for switching off during his biggest fights, leaving the ring with narrow decision victories as a result. It’s also worth noting that DeGale, while possessing decent pop, hasn’t scored a knockout in a world title fight.
Despite DeGale being in the autumn of his career (possibly due a lack of hunger for the game and some physical decline following a brutal war with Badou Jack in Jan 2017), he’ll still be the second/third-best opponent Eubank has faced thus far on paper.
I could see DeGale outboxing Eubank – as George Groves did in February’s WBSS Semi-Final – so long as he has the gas for a 12-rounder and can cope with Eubank’s surges. If DeGale can pull it off, he might be able to convince his detractors to forget all about his loss to the limited Caleb Truax in Dec 2017 and the alleged tactical vacating of his IBF title last summer.
Chris Eubank Jr (27-2, 21 KO)
Eubank, 29, is the younger man who, while more fighter than boxer, has a sharp enough look thanks to his natural speed and athleticism. Eubank’s unorthodox style can either afford unexpected openings or land him in trouble, and the showman also shares a common flaw with DeGale, which is being too patient/letting rounds slip away in big fights.
Should Eubank lose, he’ll no doubt slip back into that exposed-yet-still-surprisingly-marketable category (which can be an art form of sorts as Adrien Broner continues to prove). So, while winning in style is priority number one, it’ll be far from game over for Eubank (short of a devastating knockout defeat).
Lastly, it’s worth knowing there’s a new face in Eubank’s training camp this time around. The previously self-trained Eubank now has Nate Vasquez in his corner – an actual formal trainer – meaning this will be the first time Eubank hasn’t been both a fighter and his own trainer in a pro ring. This has to be seen as a step forward.
Breakdown & Prediction
I’m not a fan of the matchup – more so because of the PPV tag – but unknowns always create some intrigue, I guess. Like: What does DeGale have left? Will his superior amateur pedigree and experience be a weapon? And can he recreate the formula employed by conquerors Billy Joe Saunders and Groves?
With Eubank, I think we can more or less assume that mobile, skilled boxers will never be on his Christmas list. So the only real question here is whether he can pressure, slow down and stop DeGale, who I expect will hope to pinch rounds at range over the distance.
To speed things up as we near my prediction, let’s assume DeGale’s got enough left in body and spirit to keep Eubank honest. And let’s assume Eubank’s abilities/style won’t have altered too much with just one camp under Vasquez’s tutelage.
Significant Fights
I want to also throw this into the pot: Records on the world scene (against genuine world level/tough opposition, who weren’t over the hill). DeGale is 4-1-1, 0 KO). Here’s the breakdown:
- Andre Dirrell – UD 12; 114-112 (twice), 117-109
- Lucian Bute – UD 12; 117-111 (twice), 116-112
- Rogelio Medina – UD 12; 117-111 (twice), 115-113
- Caleb Truax – UD 12; 114-113 (twice), 117-110
- Caleb Truax – LOSS: UD 12; 114-114, 116-112, 115-112
- George Groves – LOSS: MD 12; 115-114 (twice), 115-115
- Badou Jack – DRAW 12; 113-113 (twice), 114-112
Meanwhile, Eubank is actually 0-2, 0 KO – seriously, check out his record for yourself – with defeats to:
- Billy Joe Saunders (SD 12; 114-115, 113-115, 116-113)
- & George Groves (UD 12; 112-117, 112-116, 113-115)
In fairness, Eubank didn’t go down quietly in either instance; Groves was then ranked No.1 at Boxing Base, and Saunders of course went on to lift the WBO belt.
Tale of the Fight
Prediction time. Due to DeGale and Eubank’s shared flaw in the area of ring generalship, I’m expecting a close/razor-thin decision for either man, but I’m going with the fresher, hungrier aggressor in Eubank. (A Draw is definitely in the cards, but I’m sure you didn’t read all of this to find me sitting on the fence now, did you?)
Prediction: Eubank Jr via close UD 12
That’s my two cents on Eubank-DeGale – now it’s your turn to unload your thoughts and predictions. Is this a legitimately competitive fight? A passing of the torch moment/cash-out for DeGale? Or can DeGale spring the upset, becoming the third man to beat Eubank Jr?
