Can DeGale Realize World Title Ambitions With Matchroom Sport?
Recently, it was announced that Olympic Gold Medallist of the Beijing Olympics and former European and British Super-Middleweight James DeGale has joined Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sport Organisation and will also feature on the Carl Froch vs. George Groves rematch at Wembley Stadium on the 31st May.
Matchroom Sport is the third major British boxing promoter that DeGale has signed with since turning professional back in Feburary, 2009 with Frank Warren after capturing the Olympic Gold Medal as a Middleweight.
DeGale turned professional with Team GB team mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders, who would emerge victorious on their debuts and would also capture British and Commonwealth titles.
However, unlike Gavin and Saunders, DeGale parted ways with Frank Warren nor succeeded in winning the prestigious Lonsdale belt outright, as DeGale would first lose his unbeaten record and British title to George Groves, who he wishes to rematch against in the future should the opportunity present itself.
In 2012, DeGale signed with Mick Hennessy’s stable where he would fight four times and clinch the World Boxing Council’s “Silver†12 stone title and defend it twice in front of the Channel 5 cameras to help increase his exposure after seeing his stock fall follow his loss to Groves, even though he would capture the European 12 stone title and win it twice.
DeGale’s debut on a Matchroom bill will be against the American Brandon Gonzales in a 12 round final eliminator for the International Boxing Federation’s portion of the World Super-Middleweight crown, which is to be contested by Froch and Groves.
The winner of the DeGale vs. Gonzales eliminator gets the mandatory position of fighting the winner of Froch and Groves highly anticipated rematch, unless Groves defeats Froch to set up a most financially alluring trilogy to settle the argument over who is the best Super-Middleweight in Britain.
Regardless of the outcome, the British boxing public will be the winner.