Legendary super-middleweight, Joe Calzaghe, endorses James DeGale ahead of the latter’s fight with Lucian Bute, during an in-depth interview with George Gigney in this week’s issue of Boxing News.
“YEAH, I like James, heโs a pal of mine. I can sympathise with him as well because he gets criticism like the criticism I used to get for years. People like him, heโs got fast hands, heโs a little bit spicy like me. I like him. Heโs a bit brash but thatโs a good attitude to have, it does good business and as long as he doesnโt lose again now he has the title, I think heโll do really well. Obviously he needs to beat Lucian Bute in style [this weekend] but heโs a work in progress. Like me when I fought Chris Eubank, I was gassed after seven rounds and I struggled a bit. Although heโs world champion, the experience of fighting 12 rounds with top-quality fighters doesnโt come overnight. I fought Eubank in โ97 and then beat [Jeff] Lacy nine years later โ I was a completely different animal. Heโs learning all the time, but Iโve always been impressed with him. He can go on to big things.”
TO READ THE FULL, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, INCLUDING CALZAGHE REFLECTING ON HIS OWN CAREER, DOWNLOAD THE LATEST EDITION OF BOXING NEWS MAGAZINE HERE