EDDIE HEARN, the former promoter of James DeGale, has commented on the super-middleweight’s shock defeat on Saturday (December 9) that saw the Briton lose his IBF world title to Caleb Truax.
“I think I would [work with him again]. James, I see him as a friend. But I just think that the way he’s managed his career has been a shambles from start to finish. He’s been everywhere. He was with [Frank] Warren, then [Mick] Hennessy, then he’s come to us, then he signed with [Al] Haymon. He’s not boxing often, then he’s boxing in the States. Then he’s back in the UK. Now he’s signed with Warren again,” Hearn told Boxing News.
DeGale had a one-fight deal with Frank Warren, with a view to possibly continuing the arrangement in future.
Hearn suggested, “The worst thing in boxing you can be is a free agent. He thinks it’s the greatest thing in the world being a free agent. No one’s looking after him, no one’s got his back. He didn’t have a rematch clause in that fight. This is bread and butter stuff. Why didn’t he have a rematch clause? Because people are sloppy. Because he hasn’t got a promoter who’s looking out for him, caring for him, planning for him. If he had woken up this morning and they had a rematch clause, DeGale-Truax is a big fight, the rematch.
“Now he’s in total wilderness.”
“In terms of the performance, that’s more worrying because he should be eating people like Truax up,” Hearn continued. “DeGale was supposed to be the elite 168 pounder.
“What is the problem? Is it that you just had a bad night [or] you don’t know what’s happening in your career? Is it that you’re finished and have got too many miles on the clock? Maybe. Is it that your desire’s gone? Maybe. I texted him yesterday. I said. ‘This could be what you needed.’ You either wake up and you say to yourself, right, I’m going to get the bit between my teeth now and I’m going to win that world title again. Does he love boxing?
“The only way he’ll fight again is if he genuinely cares about retaining the world championship.”
