DeGale v Groves

[Daniel 7]

Shouldn't have come in a boxing thread, should I?!

[Norbs]

True story.

De Gale's dad, Leroy, used to run a sign and blind company called DD Signs. He's got a terrible stutter, I think he wanted to call the company D Signs but couldn't get it out. I d-d-digress

Anyway, they used to buy from our wholesale awning business and James used to go to work with his dad during the summer holidays, so I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times as a kid.

He was a scrote aged 8, always causing his dad grief. I'm not surprised to see that he's a made it as a decent fighter but I'm less surprised to hear that he's a cunt.

[red g]

Hopkins instead of going to his corner on the 7th decided to do press ups in the centre of ring.

fair play to hopkins he looked in decent shape.

[Hollowman]

He was leading with his right as late as the ninth too. 46. Incredible fighter. Well capable of talking an avalanche of ignorant bull**** though, as his little spat with Donovan McNabb showed.

[Rudo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/13491248.stm

[Craig_H]

****in hell Spud, I was downloading that.

[Rudo]

Groves Proves That Nice Guys Don't Have To Finish Last

by John Wight: No one should be left in any doubt after witnessing George Groves’ victory over James De Gale in front of a packed crowd at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night that poetic justice is the sweetest kind there is.

In the lead up to the fight, De Gale and his camp had engaged in a relentless and malicious campaign of personal abuse and slander against Groves, one that went far beyond any pre-fight hype designed to generate ticket sales and PPV subscriptions. It was nasty to watch; so much so that by fight night probably ninety percent of those watching ringside and at home wanted nothing more than to see the Olympic gold medal winner and now former British super middleweight champion being made to eat his words. Making his defeat all the sweeter was De Gale’s insistence with a handshake at the pre-fight press conference on a side bet with his opponent, with the winner taking both purses. The word is that after the press conference De Gale’s trainer, Jim McDonnell, declared to certain sports writers that if Groves refused to honour the wager after the fight they would sue him in court.

Aaaah…doesn’t that humble pie smell good?

Fortunately for the sport, and for the enduring power of natural justice, in direct proportion to De Gale and his camp’s arrogance, lack of class and respect, Groves and his camp proved themselves the epitome of professionalism, dignity and equanimity throughout. Not only that, most crucially they did their talking where it counts, in the process upsetting the bookies, pundits and the result expected by the vast majority who turned up and tuned in to watch the action unfold.

As a fight it was more chess than checkers, with Groves and Booth clearly having done their homework, giving De Gale a lesson in discipline and tactics as the Commonwealth champion doggedly stuck to the gameplan of remaining on the back foot, from where he spent the entire night frustrating his opponent, who’d arrived in the ring expecting a gunfight and clearly as the night unfolded without any Plan B worthy of the name.

No matter, De Gale managed to find purchase in the later rounds and wobbled his opponent in the ninth with a stunning left hook right hand combination. But Groves equally was finding the target with a fast jab and straight rights, timing them to counter De Gale as he came forward. The refusal of either boxer to give way was evident in the blood that poured from both their faces going into the tenth round, and though De Gale looked the stronger in the home stretch Groves had put in enough of a shift in the earlier rounds to take the fight on the Judges’ scorecards by 115-115, 115-114, and 115-114 to the rapturous acclaim of the overwhelming majority in attendance.

Immediately after the fight calls for a rematch were raised by the De Gale camp through the personage of Frank Warren, De Gale’s promoter. Looking as sick as the proverbial parrot, Warren faced the cameras in De Gale’s stead to maintain that he thought his fighter had done enough to win the fight. Well, not according to the judges he didn’t, with the result that Groves is the new British super-middleweight champion, having handed James De Gale his first professional defeat, adding it to the defeat he’d previously handed him as an amateur back in 2006, when both boxers fought out of the Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club in West London.

Despite stooping so low with personal abuse in the lead to the fight that by the time he entered the ring he bore all the characteristics of a man who could get under a snake’s belly wearing a top hat, De Gale remains a talented athlete, if not a likeable one.

However, if he is to progress beyond domestic and European level he must acquire the ability to adapt to any style that sets apart the sport’s elite from the rest. As for Groves, the decision to go up in class in sparring with the likes of Andre Dirrell in Miami clearly paid off, especially after his previous less than convincing performance against Scotland’s Kenny Anderson. He can also count himself fortunate to have a man in his corner in the shape of Adam Booth who combines intelligence, confidence and tactical acumen in equal measure. Furthermore, the aura of camaraderie and togetherness that Team Hayemaker brings to the table is a breath of fresh air amid the cynicism that all too often bedevils the sport.

Overall, though, isn’t it good to know that nice guys don’t have to finish last?

[Chazza]

After this Degale has got a European Title shot

James DeGale gets European title fight against Piotr Wilczewski

Former British super-middleweight champion James DeGale will challenge for the European title in September against Poland's Piotr Wilczewski.

It will be the 25-year-old's first bout since losing the British title on points to George Groves in May.

Wilczewski, who won the vacant European and WBO Intercontinental titles in March, has lost only once in 30 fights.

"Challenging for the European title is a fantastic opportunity to get myself back in the big picture," DeGale said.

"I've been hard in training since my last fight and I'm ready to box tomorrow if I need to, come September I'll be in great shape."

DeGale's loss to Groves in May was contentious. The Londoner had been heavily favoured to beat his long-term rival, but lost on a split decision.

"The fight with Groves is in the past, I still believe I beat him, but I'm a positive person and now I'm focused on the future and a win will put me in a great position for a world title," he said.

My promoter Frank Warren has done a great job in getting me home advantage for this title shot and now I've got to go out there, do the business and win it in style.

"In fact, I'm about to sign a new three-year deal with Frank and I'm really happy that he will continue to build my career, as he has done since I turned professional.

"He brought Amir Khan back from a devastating knockout loss to a world title in only three fights so I know that he can do it for me," DeGale added.

Prior to his defeat to Groves, the former Olympic gold medallist had won his first 10 fights.

And Warren believes the bout with Wilczewski is a pivotal moment in his career.

"This is a make or break fight for James," he said.

"He's got a big opportunity in front of him against Wilczewski and now has to go out there and deliver the goods and show the fans what he can do."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/14046382.stm

[Darth Marty]

I hope he gets sparked out and it ends his career although I somehow doubt that.

[RichC]

give it to Frank Warren if he sees potential money he gets his fighters into title fights, no way should he be getting this shot coming off a loss but then Amir Khan got sparked out and then was fighting for a world title