DeGale vs Jack ends in a draw
James DeGale’s super middleweight title unification bout with Badou Jack ended in a controversial draw.
DeGale knocked Jack down in the first round, but, the British fighter looked to be on the ropes in the last round when he was knocked down.
DeGale did not leave the fight unscathed, however, as he left the Barclays Center with a damaged ear drum and some damage to his teeth.
After being knocked down in the first, Jack came back into the fight with a number of successful body shots in the sixth.
Jack managed to dislodge the Brit’s mouthguard in the eight which resulted in DeGale losing one of his front teeth.
Jack’s knockdown of DeGale in the twelfth ultimately cost the British fighter the victory.
One judge gave the decision to DeGale by 114-112, but the other two scored it 113-113, meaning Jack retained his WBC title and DeGale his IBF.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the fight, DeGale is already looking ahead to his next fight.
I’m glad I’m still the champion and I’m coming home with the title but I’m so upset that I didn’t come with the WBC belt. The main thing is I didn’t lose, I’m still the champion and I can move forward.
Floyd Mayweather, Badou Jack’s promoter, labelled the decision a ‘bad for boxing’.
However, Mayweather revealed he is looking to move Jack up to light middleweight when the fight concluded.
We don’t need to figure it out, I’m the promoter this is my fighter,
Badou Jack has got too big for 168lbs. We have plans after this fight to move up to light-heavyweight.