Britain’s James DeGale, a fighter who has done things the hard way – fights on the road, tricky opponents, frustratingly long enforced layoffs – believes he will get the respect he is due after he beats Badou Jack in their big 168 pound unification fight on January 14.
In fact, Olympic gold medal winner and reigning IBF super-middleweight champ DeGale compares himself to the great Joe Calzaghe and the position he was in when entering his crunch fight with Jeff Lacy in 2006. DeGale told ESPN.com that like Calzaghe did with his blistering win over Lacy, he will prove he is the best in the world with a commanding win over Jack.
“My career is a bit like Joe Calzaghe’s, I’m in a similar position,” DeGale, 23-1(14) said. “He had his career-defining fight against Jeff Lacy. He had been world champion for years by then, he had a lot of doubters and haters but he pulled it off. I’m in a similar position and people will know that I’m the real number-one in the division and Britain after I beat Jack, just like Joe did when he beat Lacy.”
DeGale, beaten only by George Groves – who he could meet again later this year – says he will return to Britain to box after he’s beaten Jack in New York; maybe against unbeaten Callum Smith. DeGale will definitely pick up a big win if he beats WBC champ Jack – but will he really be the best in Britain? Better than Carl Frampton? Better than Anthony Joshua? Maybe, but the arguments will continue as long as these other stars keep winning.
DeGale, though, will certainly be looked at as the number-one super-middleweight if he defeats Jack. As for the Calzaghe comparison, well, DeGale is a southpaw as was Joe, and “Chunky” has certainly been given no favours as he has worked his way to becoming a genuine world champion. As we know, Calzaghe, who of course retired unbeaten, went from strength to strength after smashing Lacy – beating the likes of Mikkell Kessler and Bernard Hopkins.
Can DeGale put some truly big wins in the bag in the coming months/years?
