James DeGale needs to ask himself some searching questions after his awful performance at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday night. DeGale looked weak, lacklustre and without any spark and was comprehensively beaten in my opinion by the very average 34 year old from Minnesota, Caleb Truax for the IBF title he has held for two and a half years.
DeGale lacked a jab of any substance and was pushed back against the ropes under fire for most of the 12 rounds and could never get a foothold in a fight it was thought he would dominate.
The reality was that this defence was nothing more than a stepping stone back into action after shoulder surgery had derailed the Harlesdon man for almost a year since his gruelling battle with Badou Jack in January ended in a hard fought draw.
Back to fitness and calling himself the number one force in the super middleweight division, the Caleb Traux fight was about throwing down the gauntlet to the “chasing pack” of George Groves, Chris Eubank Jnr and Liverpool’s Callum Smith who contest the Super Series next year.
Instead it has all backfired rather spectacularly and DeGale now faces the prospect of picking up the pieces and going back to the drawing board at 31 years of age, which in its self should not be a problem. He has lost before to big rival George Groves in 2011 and had the heart and character to rebuild his career.
https://twitter.com/boxnationtv/status/939623656723972099
What was more worrying was the manner of the loss, this time to a fighter who didn’t put up the fight of his lifetime, he just pushed forward aggressively and kept throwing punches in a very average manner, but DeGale had no answers, he couldn’t even blame injury, as he stated the “shoulder gave him no problems” so we can only look elsewhere.
https://twitter.com/boxnationtv/status/939628718418530304
Mental strength is a major part of a boxers basic DNA, and it appeared this was visibly lacking as was confidence in his own excellent ability that took him to Olympic Gold and World Championship glory, it was as if he who turned up Saturday night was just a shadow of DeGale’s former self.
The big question is what’s happened in the last 12 months? And did Badou Jack take a little more than a share of the spoils in their 14th January battle in Brooklyn? Where it looks like DeGale may well have lost a little more than a couple of teeth. Boxing is a very tough sport and the injuries are not always visible but still leave a scar.
Only one person knows the true answer to that question and its something James DeGale will wrestle with for some time to come because, as I said in my fight preview “The Truax hurts”
Devastated with my performance last night. Feel like Ive let everyone down – myself, my family, friends and fans. I dont want 2 be in any other position than No1 so going to take some time out 2 reflect and make some decisions goin forward.Thank u all for your love & support 😔💙
— James DeGale (@jamesdegale1) December 10, 2017
READ MORE:
Eddie Hearn Blasts James DeGale’s Performance And Management – “A Crying Shame”
James DeGale Loses Title Against Caleb Truax
WATCH: James DeGale Shockingly Loses Title + Highlights From Other Fights