The IBF Super Middleweight title was up for grabs tonight on Showtime as James DeGale took on the champion Caleb Truax. In a rematch of their fight in December where Truax beat DeGale in a 12-round majority decision.
The first two rounds Truax (29-4-2, 18 KO) would take it easy and fill DeGale (24-2-1, 14 KO) out. DeGale took advantage and cruised to wins in these rounds.
Head butts were the theme of this fight, more than enough for one fight. In the third DeGale was hit over his left eye with one, which cut him pretty bad. Judge Byrd ruled it a punch, but replay showed it was a head butt.
This cut dictates the four rounds to come, 3-6. Truax took advantage of a timid DeGale who seemed to be uninterested in engaging in a fight with the champion. Controlling the fight Truax decided to put pressure on and put in as much work as he could.
High work output hurt Truax, as he tired out. Truax then had to deal with two cuts above each eye himself.
DeGale feeding off of these situations, hit and moved, out boxing his opponent by a mile.
Takes us to the tenth where Truax had the benefit of judge Byrd taking a point for a shoulder that he warned DeGale about a number of times. Truax actually put together a well fought round giving him a two point advantage in the round.
Going into the championship rounds that means DeGale had some work to do down a point on my scorecard.
As if DeGale was showing up to a 9-5 shift work is what he did. In the last two rounds DeGale really put on a clinic on how to box the smart way and when to throw your combinations. Being highly effective with his punches he put out and not getting hit while doing it saw him again up on my scorecard.
DeGale was given a 114-113 victory on my card.
Official Scores:
117-110
114-113 X2
UD James DeGale