AMERICAN CALEB TRUAX stunned Britain’s former Olympic champion James DeGale on a majority decision to win the IBF world super-middleweight title in London on Saturday.
The 31-year-old DeGale was making the fourth defence of his title in his first fight on home soil for three years, but the 2008 Beijing gold medallist was condemned to just the second defeat of his career.
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Two judges scored in favour of Truax, the American ahead 115-112 and 116-112 on those cards, with a third judge scoring the fight as a draw as DeGale was dethroned by the challenger.
“Crazy. I can’t believe it. I’ve got to go back to the drawing board and change things. I thought I won it but I have to go back and sort a couple of things,” DeGale told BT Sport.
It was DeGale’s first bout since surgery on his right shoulder following his bruising draw against Badou Jack in January, but Truax refused to adhere to his underdog tag and offered constant pressure.
Truax, 34, unleashed a series of fierce blows against DeGale in round five that left the British fighter bloodied and up against the ropes, with the American then catching his foe with a heavy uppercut in the 10th.
DeGale launched a spirited response in the final two rounds but Truax stood firm before sinking to his knees in anticipation of a victory that was confirmed moments later.
Steven Paston
Steven Paston
“We figured he’d try and jump me and I’d just weather the storm and that’s what I did. He was sleeping and now he’s going to have nightmares about me,” Truax told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“All week all I heard was who he’s going to fight next. Well guess what — those fights are mine now.”
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DeGale's homecoming spoiled as American veteran causes huge upset
AMERICAN CALEB TRUAX stunned Britain’s former Olympic champion James DeGale on a majority decision to win the IBF world super-middleweight title in London on Saturday.
The 31-year-old DeGale was making the fourth defence of his title in his first fight on home soil for three years, but the 2008 Beijing gold medallist was condemned to just the second defeat of his career.
Two judges scored in favour of Truax, the American ahead 115-112 and 116-112 on those cards, with a third judge scoring the fight as a draw as DeGale was dethroned by the challenger.
“Crazy. I can’t believe it. I’ve got to go back to the drawing board and change things. I thought I won it but I have to go back and sort a couple of things,” DeGale told BT Sport.
It was DeGale’s first bout since surgery on his right shoulder following his bruising draw against Badou Jack in January, but Truax refused to adhere to his underdog tag and offered constant pressure.
Truax, 34, unleashed a series of fierce blows against DeGale in round five that left the British fighter bloodied and up against the ropes, with the American then catching his foe with a heavy uppercut in the 10th.
DeGale launched a spirited response in the final two rounds but Truax stood firm before sinking to his knees in anticipation of a victory that was confirmed moments later.
“We figured he’d try and jump me and I’d just weather the storm and that’s what I did. He was sleeping and now he’s going to have nightmares about me,” Truax told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“All week all I heard was who he’s going to fight next. Well guess what — those fights are mine now.”
– © AFP 2017
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Boxing Caleb Truax James DeGale Shellshocked