Warren says Truax vs. DeGale rematch could take place in U.S

By Marcus Richardson: Promoter Frank Warren says he rematch between IBF super middleweight champion Caleb ‘Golden’ Truax (29-3-2, 18 KOs) and former 168 lb. champion James ‘Chunky’ DeGale (23-2-1, 14 KOs) could wind up taking place in the U.S rather than the UK due to the money that Truax’s team wants for the fight.

Truax, 34, defeated DeGale by a 12 round majority decision last month on December 9 at the Copper Box Arena in London, England. The American Truax wasn’t expected to win the fight, as he was picked a voluntary defense for DeGale, who was coming off a shoulder surgery and an 11-month layoff from the ring. The southpaw DeGale didn’t have the energy or the confidence to throw punches in the fight. He looked like he was fighting at only less than 50 percent of what he was in his previous fight against Badou Jack in January 2017.

“We are working on the rematch at the moment,” Warren said to the Independent.co.uk.“We are just trying to get it over the line. He’s got to give James the rematch, I believe it was in the contract. Will it be over here in UK? Not on the money they currently want and if that doesn’t change the fight will be in the States.”

It’s terrible news for the 31-year-old DeGale if he has to fight Truax in the States, because the American fights well when he has the boxing fans on his side. At this point in DeGale’s career, he needs every advantage he can get for him to have a good chance of beating the heavy-handed pressure fighter Truax.

DeGale doesn’t possess the punching power to hurt Truax, and he didn’t react well in taking his hard shots to the head and body last January. The judges had Truax winning by the scores 115-112, 116-112 for Truax, and 114-114. The most accurate score of the three was the 116-112 score. Even that score was generous for DeGale, as he looked like he only won 2 to 3 rounds tops.

DeGale is in the gym training for the rematch with Truax. DeGale has already started sparring for the fight, which suggests that the rematch against Truax will be taking place by April at the latest.
DeGale has little choice but to get back in there for a second fight against Truax. He can’t walk away from the defeat without trying to avenge it.

DeGale needs to beat Truax and look good in doing so. He must prove to his boxing fans that his loss to Truax was a fluke thing caused by him not being 100 percent following his shoulder surgery on his right shoulder and his 11-month layoff. The worry here is that if DeGale has another performance like he had last December, he could lose a second fight to Truax and his career would be essentially finished. If DeGale can’t beat Truax, then there’s no point in him carrying on because things will be even worse if he tries to tangle with the winner of the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament against the likes of George Groves, Chris Eubank Jr. or Callum Smith.