Former Olympic gold medalist James DeGale successfully defended his IBF super middleweight title for the first time on Saturday, with a unanimous decision over Canada’s Lucian Bute.
DeGale’s defense came just hours after Tyson Fury became the 11th Briton to hold a current world title by upsetting long-standing WBA, IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko in a 12-round heavyweight fight in Germany.
DeGale, who is the only British boxer to have won an Olympic gold medal and a world title, said British fighters are on a roll.
Photo: AFP
“Great Britain, we are flying. We got 11 world champions, so we are definitely flying,” said DeGale, who beat Andre Dirrell to win the title in May.
DeGale, 29, warned before Saturday’s fight in Quebec City that he would come out swinging and that is exactly what he did at the opening bell. He hit Bute with everything he had, but the 35-year-old former champion weathered the early assault and made it an entertaining slugfest.
DeGale was cut over the left eye by an accidental headbutt in the fifth round, and was given a warning by the referee in the ninth for illegal use of his shoulders.
With blood flowing from the cut, DeGale went toe-to-toe with Bute in the 12th and final round as the crowd stood and roared at the recently-opened Centre Videotron. Bute had the home crowd on his side throughout, but he also earned some respect for a display of sportsmanship — which is rare in boxing — in the 11th round when he stepped back and stopped throwing punches to allow DeGale to retrieve his mouthguard, which had fallen out.
Bute (32-3, 25 KO) was seeking to reclaim the 168-pound (76kg) title he lost to Carl Froch by knockout in May 2012.
“I did my best. It was close,” said Bute. “He is the Olympic and world champion, so if the judges give him the decision then I respect that.”
The Romanian-born Bute, who lost by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 117-111, said he was too passive in some rounds.
“In a few rounds I waited too much and did not put the punches together. When I put on pressure and pushed back then I won the rounds,” Bute said.
The 2008 Olympic gold medalist DeGale said his confidence is sky high and he is looking forward to defending his crown and adding more titles over the next few years.
“I am young, I am fresh and I am peaking now,” said DeGale, who improved to 22-1 with 14 knockouts. “In the next three or four years, I am going to be at my best.”
DeGale is hoping this win lands him a shot next April at a unification fight against WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack.
“Let’s do it. Let’s unify the title,” he said.
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