Review by AllTheBestFights.com: 2017-01-14, close and tough fight with an exciting finish: Badou Jack vs James DeGale is one of the best boxing fights of 2017 and it gets four stars!The 2008 Olympic middleweight gold medalist and Ibf world champion James DeGale entered this fight with a boxing record of 23-1-0 (14 knockouts) and he is ranked as the No.4 super middleweight in the world (currently the #1 in this division is Gilberto Ramirez). His only loss occurred when he faced George Groves in 2011 (via split decision, Groves vs DeGale), since then he has won 13 consecutive bouts defeating Andre Dirrell (=DeGale vs Dirrell), Lucian Bute (=DeGale vs Bute) and Rogelio Medina in his last three (=DeGale vs Medina).
His opponent, the Wbc super-Mw champion Badou Jack, has an official record of 20-1-2 (12 knockouts) and he entered as the No.9 in the same weight class. He suffered his only loss when he faced Derek Edwards in 2014, after this bout he has collected four victories and one draw, with Lucian Bute (=Jack vs Bute); before this fight he had won over George Groves (=Groves vs Jack). James DeGale vs Badou Jack is valid for the WBC and IBF World super middleweight titles. Watch the video and rate this fight!
Date: 2017-01-14
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Division: super middleweight (168 lbs, 76.2 kg)
Title: WBC and IBF World super middleweight titles
DeGale’s previous fight: James DeGale vs Rogelio Medina
Jack’s previous fight: Badou Jack vs Lucian Bute
Jack’s next fight: Nathan Cleverly vs Badou Jack
DeGale’s next fight: James DeGale vs Caleb Truax
DeGale vs Jack Fight Video:
(Free embeddable video hosted on Dailymotion and not uploaded by AllTheBestFights)
Official video
I wasn’t angry that it was a draw. The Best fight probably all year hard act to follow. Action Pac enough for them to do it again. Good SHow should be immediate rematch. Slight edge to Jack but Degale did persevere.Floyds commentary at the end was a lil bit bafoonish though. Even though his event the commentary was unneccessary but he is Floyd what can we expect.
GREAT fight, contrary to the commentators I had DeGale well ahead up until the seventh round, Jack looked slugish up to this point but certainly took the next few rounds A draw was an excellent outcome. Jack made amends in the last round, which was fortunate for him otherwise it would have given the win to DeGale. Bring on the rematch. This is what real boxing is about- equally matched opponents.
It will be equally difficult to pick the winner of a rematch. Congratulations to both fighters
I had it 114-112 for Jack, so it was a draw on my scorecard after 11 rounds. I agree it was a tough one to score, but at the end of the day when I look at round by round compubox, overall landed/thrown jabs, power and total punches, when you look at DeGale’s face after the fight as if it was a Campbell’s chunky soup… I mean I thought I had the right winner. Jack landed the most significant shots, more often. But anyway, it was a very good fight.
115-112 DeGale with a few beers in, my fellow quebecer. we were chatting as I watched it and there is one round in particular I couldn’t believe you gave to Jack, like the 3rd or 4th. But it is the first time we disagree so much, it’s kinda funny. It was a great fight, I want to see a rematch :)
Haha, too much beer in Quebec, too much wine in Minnesota! I don’t have a problem with either analysis, my friends, as I thought the balance seesawed back and forth several times. Jack’s punches did more damage, yes. I’m glad to have watched this memorable fight without having to be a judge!
Very nice and active fight. Jack was very aggressive and looks more solid than DeGale. However, technically, DeGale is a better boxer who moved very well in the ring with frequent changes of stance and more punching precision than his rival. DeGale did really better so he deserved the victory in spite of his knock down observed in the last round. A draw for this fight was a very bad decision from the judges which of course benefited the “pseudo” local guy.
I find it hard to agree that DeGale is better on a technical point of view. Yes, he caught Jack and scored a knockdown early in the fight, but after that Jack gradually figured out DeGale pretty much, proving he was in my opinion better at coping with his opponent’s style. Yes, DeGale does some flashy stuff, like throwing speedy combinations and like switching stence, but was it really effective? Not so much I tought. All this didn’t seem to bother Jack at all. The more the fight went on, the more DeGale fought in desperation, at some point, it seemed like he was clueless and that’s when he started to spit his mouthpiece out. I mean… how technical/flashy is that? On the other side, Jack fought according to a good game plan, he was patient and didn’t look like the underdog he was coming in to this fight.
Olivier: By reading all the comments here it is evidently that the opinion about who was the winner is quite divided. From my side, I’m still giving the fight to DeGale so I feel sorry on this disagreement that may be the first in the many years we have share this forum together. But I promise it will be not unique, others may be to follow :-).
All I’m saying is that to me, Jack was the better man in the ring that night and that he displayed more skills than DeGale. I’m not bothered with anyone saying it was a close fight, that it was a draw or even that DeGale’s won.
What fight!!!
1. 10-8 (Degale). I had Badou winning the round before the flash KD
2. 10-9 (Jack). Swing round, but I feel that Jack landed more cleanly than Degale whose punches were mostly hitting Jack’s gloves and arms (defense). Badou was able to use his power to push Degale back more than the opposite (effective aggression). Also, Jack controlled the center of the ring and cut off Degale’s movement well (ring generalship).
3. 10-9 (Jack). Clearly the more effective aggressor whose harder/cleaner shots (namely to the body, although he landed a solid headsot towards the end of the round10-9) caused DeGale to be pushed back to the perimeter of the ring. Badou Jack continues to control the center of the ring (ring generalship) and he employed the better defense, as he prevented DeGale’s offense more effectively than Degale neutralized his this round10.
4. 10-9 (Jack). Relatively close round, but Jack lands the cleaner/harder punches, punches that push Degale back various times throughout the round (effective aggression). Degale has practically abandoned his jab at this point, and his flashy combos aren’t really landing cleanly (due to Badou’s defense). He (Degale) did score a quick, sneaky, clean uppercut uppercut and maybe 1 clean jab this round, but his punches don’t have the same impact as Badou’s punches. Again, Badou is still controlling the center of the ring (ring generalship), although Degale did come to the center a little bit more this round than the previous round.
5. 10-9 (Jack) Relatively close, but Degale ran too much for the first minute or so, and he wasn’t able to land the cleaner/harder punches. Jack persistently pressed the action, working the body, and splitting DeGale’s guard to land some solid shots upstairs, as well.
6. 10-9 (Jack) Clear round for Jack. No explanation needed.
7. 10-9. (Jack) Degale running too much in the first minute and Jack catches him with a solid right cross upstairs. Jack landed more solid shots (again) this round. Jack continues to block most of Degale’s blurry flurries. The only solid shot Degale landed was a quick uppercut, but he didn’t follow it up with much. Instead, he continued to retreat, as Jack cut off the ring, continually and effectively pressing the action.
8. 10-9 (Jack) He got off to a good start, effectively cutting off the ring while Degale continually retreated. He also landed a hard shot so cleanly that it knocked DeGale’s mouthpiece out. Clear round for Jack.
9. 10-9 (Degale) Close, but Degale was the busier fighter this round. He stood his ground a lot more this round, as well. Jack still landed the more powerful punches, but he didn’t land enough.
10. 10-9 (Jack). Swing round. Both fighters were almost equally active, but Jack landed the more thudding shots in their exchanges, and he was more consistent with his jab.
11. 10-9 (Jack)
Relatively close, but Jack landed the more eye-catching shots this round. Degale did land some good shots, but, again, most of his shots were landing on Jack’s gloves, arms, etc. Jack finished the round strong with a punch that snapped Degale’s head back.
12. 10-8 (Jack) No explanation needed. Degale is lucky he wasn’t KTFO’d
117-109 (Jack).
If I gave every swing round to Degale, plus every round that was relatively close, then 114-112 for Degale is what you’d get, but that’s a very unreasonable score, considering the actual quality of punches landed, as well as the volume. Very entertaining fight, but Jack was the clear winner.
117-109 Jack? You must have been more drunk than me, and it’s hard to beat! Much love!
I was as sober as the Quaker Oats man. It’s not inconceivable that some swing rounds might go to Degale, but in order for it to be a draw, every benefit of the doubt to be given to Degale. The judge that scored it 114-112 gave Degale more than the benefit of the doubt. Anyone who saw the fight being close was really just impressed by some of the flashy flurries that Degale threw, but didn’t land. I admit that when I watched it live, I saw a closer fight, but I still saw Jack as the clear winner. When I rewatched it the next day at work, watching multiple rounds multiple times and applying the proper scoring criteria, I had Jack winning even more widely, because DeGale just didn’t do much of anything effective in most of the rounds. Shoe shining shouldn’t win rounds, and that was the main expression of Degale’s aggression.
Agreed, I was liking Jacks stance on taking the center of the ring he never really gave that up and he was blocking a lot of DeGales slapping shots to the gloves and countering him back with flush clean shots.
I believe the punch stats completely give Kwame scorecard relevance on the way he scored it.
I had it 9-3 to Jack at tops I think I could have squeezed out another round to DeGale but in those swing rounds I was favouring the cleaner work and the guy controlling the center of the ring because he was quite obviously the guy in control of the fight I’d also like to say that James DeGale was EXTREMELY fortunate that the referee never took a point off for 4 times spitting that gum shield out regardless of his teeth being knocked out, doesn’t excuse it.
Finally the judge who had it 114-112 to DeGale should lose his job completely he is blind.
http://www.boxingscene.com/badou-jack-vs-james-degale-compubox-punch-stats–112690
Thanks, man. How’d you score the fight?
114-112 Jack
Rd1: DeGale (10-8)
Rd2: DeGale
Rd3: Jack
Rd4: Jack
Rd5: Jack
Rd6: Jack
Rd7: DeGale
Rd8: Jack
Rd9: DeGake
Rd10: Jack
Rd11: DeGale
Rd12: Jack (10-8)
Very nice analysis, Kwame. I didn’t see the margin being that large, but I enjoyed your take on it.
I scored it 10-2 only after rewatching it. When I watched it live, my first impression was that it was closer to 8-4. (115-111). Badou was the clear winner.
I hope to see it again in a better quality video.
How many rounds did you give to DeGale?
In truth, Kwame, I didn’t score it carefully, which isn’t my usual custom. I kept a loose tally where I had DeGale “roughly” up by one or two. On reflection, I felt Jack’s punches clearly did the greater damage. DeGale was lucky to be standing at the end.
My video feed wasn’t the best. I just couldn’t tell with enough certainty what was landing. Also, a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon kept sticking its damn spout in my face and, well, you know…
You scored it very similar to me, I had DeGale winning 3 to 4 rounds tops.
Doesn’t get much better than this! Congratulations to both fighters.
GREAT FIGHT BUT (!!!) THE WORST DECISION IN MODERN BOXING HISTORY!
Degale LOST. Badou Jack won that fight CLEARLY. I will NEVER trust NewYork judges any longer. This is an evil act including politics and corruption. #BadouJackWon
had it 113-112 for Degale. And i am a Jack fan!
116-110 Badou Jack IMHO
Watching again and still loving this fight!
I was at this fight live in Brooklyn and had it very close at the end. I was OK with the draw after the fight given what both men did during the fight. Watching it again for the first time, I have DeGale winning clearly. I had it how the first judge had it. 114-112. I am from London so there is some bias toward Degale but I think he dominated the first half of the fight and won some later rounds.