Not everybody knows this, but I spent a big part of my career plagued by Gilmores groin. After an underwhelming win over Dyah Davis, I considered walking away from the sport due to injury. It would have been such a shame to the sport of boxing as I had never really lost a fight, I really beat George Groves 98-92 but I was robbed.
I returned to the ring four months later, my injury was healed, I was as good as new. I would go onto an 8 fight streak that put me at the top of Boxing's P4P list.
It started by beating Gevorg Khatchikian, who was 20-0 and the favorite for the fight, I gave him a boxing lesson. My following fight was huge, against one of boxing's rising stars, Brandon Gonzales.
Trained by Virgil Hunter he was 18 wins and 1 draw after 19 fights, the draw was a fight he dominated but was robbed vs Thomas Oosthuizen, who is a massive name in boxing.
That performance by Gonzales sent waves around the boxing world. Nobody thought I would beat him, but I knocked him out brutally early in the fight, he never fought again. Gonzales stated six months later that he retired because "I can never be as good as James DeGale, I just wish I was him. I'm done."
Periban was next, and the public were still putting money on my opponent to win, it was a massive test, but I became the only man to beat him easily. All his other losses were close. My movement and power were at this point the best in the division, injury free, I had the crowds rocking.
Then I came up against American legend Andre Dirrell, the man we all saw in a great fight against Carl Froch. It was an amazing fight me and Andre. I won the first five rounds with 2 knockdowns, but he took 4/5 rounds off me in the fight of the year.
In the same month Carl Froch battered George Groves for the second time, earning the right to fight me. I added another incredible win to my resume, beating Hall of Famer Carl froch by CO (chickened out) He wanted none of it, he knew what was coming, he tool the L.
Lucian Bute was next, he was back on top form,in his prime again, we shared a classic and I took it 117-111 on my card.
I took on another tough fight in Rogelio Medina, who had lost 6, but all of those could have went either way, I beat him 116-112, another fine win for 'Chunky'.
Then came the fight, the two form fighters in boxing, myself against Badou Jack. It was a thriller. Boxing Circle voted it fight of the decade. It was a draw, I knew I won it by 2/3 points, but sometimes you just take the draw.
This fight confirmed my status as the best P4P in boxing. I went back home to celebrate my feat.
A short while after Gilmores groin returned, I should never have got back in the ring, but I made a mistake, I fought Caleb Troux, whilst being badly injured, I lost a close and controversial decision.
I came back for the rematch and won 10/12 rounds, even though my injuries were very bad, I knew I could still beat him. I got another win in a tick over fight, before fighting Chris Eubank JR for one final payday.
I knew I was up against it against Eubank JR with gilmores groin, to be honest, I probably would have not beaten Chris Eubank SR that night, but I took the loss, cashed my cheque and retired, left to reflect on my brief time as the world's best combat fighter.
I returned to the ring four months later, my injury was healed, I was as good as new. I would go onto an 8 fight streak that put me at the top of Boxing's P4P list.
It started by beating Gevorg Khatchikian, who was 20-0 and the favorite for the fight, I gave him a boxing lesson. My following fight was huge, against one of boxing's rising stars, Brandon Gonzales.
Trained by Virgil Hunter he was 18 wins and 1 draw after 19 fights, the draw was a fight he dominated but was robbed vs Thomas Oosthuizen, who is a massive name in boxing.
That performance by Gonzales sent waves around the boxing world. Nobody thought I would beat him, but I knocked him out brutally early in the fight, he never fought again. Gonzales stated six months later that he retired because "I can never be as good as James DeGale, I just wish I was him. I'm done."
Periban was next, and the public were still putting money on my opponent to win, it was a massive test, but I became the only man to beat him easily. All his other losses were close. My movement and power were at this point the best in the division, injury free, I had the crowds rocking.
Then I came up against American legend Andre Dirrell, the man we all saw in a great fight against Carl Froch. It was an amazing fight me and Andre. I won the first five rounds with 2 knockdowns, but he took 4/5 rounds off me in the fight of the year.
In the same month Carl Froch battered George Groves for the second time, earning the right to fight me. I added another incredible win to my resume, beating Hall of Famer Carl froch by CO (chickened out) He wanted none of it, he knew what was coming, he tool the L.
Lucian Bute was next, he was back on top form,in his prime again, we shared a classic and I took it 117-111 on my card.
I took on another tough fight in Rogelio Medina, who had lost 6, but all of those could have went either way, I beat him 116-112, another fine win for 'Chunky'.
Then came the fight, the two form fighters in boxing, myself against Badou Jack. It was a thriller. Boxing Circle voted it fight of the decade. It was a draw, I knew I won it by 2/3 points, but sometimes you just take the draw.
This fight confirmed my status as the best P4P in boxing. I went back home to celebrate my feat.
A short while after Gilmores groin returned, I should never have got back in the ring, but I made a mistake, I fought Caleb Troux, whilst being badly injured, I lost a close and controversial decision.
I came back for the rematch and won 10/12 rounds, even though my injuries were very bad, I knew I could still beat him. I got another win in a tick over fight, before fighting Chris Eubank JR for one final payday.
I knew I was up against it against Eubank JR with gilmores groin, to be honest, I probably would have not beaten Chris Eubank SR that night, but I took the loss, cashed my cheque and retired, left to reflect on my brief time as the world's best combat fighter.
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