Well folks its nearly time to kick off a great start to to 2017 with a mouthwatering unification fight between IBF Super middleweight champion James DeGale and WBC champion Badou Jack, in Brooklyn .

For me, James DeGale is the most underated boxer in the UK today. Not only  did DeGale pick his IBF title up on the road against Andre Dirrell, this will also be his third time defending it away from home, following tough tests against Lucian Bute and Porky Medina. On his day, DeGale is brilliant to watch. There are few that can switch from southpaw to orthodox as naturally as he can and these switches open up angles for DeGale to land his lightening quick combinations, and when it comes off, it really is a joy to watch. DeGale lacks power but after sending Dirrell to the canvas twice, he did prove that his timing can make up for that. However on DeGale’s last outing against Porky Medina he had a howler for his high standards. Medina’s high volume punching and constant pressure seemed to throw DeGale, resulting in him eating some big shots and spending most of the night fighting off the ropes, as well as long periods covering and tying up. Although his skills got him the victory on the cards, it was far too close for comfort.     Badou Jack has a totally different style to DeGale. Jack is really one of those guys with limited ability but what he can do, he does very well. When Jack fought Groves, he bossed Groves from start to finish also sending Groves to the canvas in stand out perfromance from Jack . His judgement of distance really was superb in that fight, he completely nulified Groves attacks before he could get inside (to expose what I suspect is his achilles heel). It really was a great performance against a George Groves that has given James DeGale his only loss to date. In Jack’s last fight against Lucian Bute, he was dragged into a fight that i didn’t think he had in him. Bute (as he did with DeGale), came for a war but in fairness to Jack, he stood up and showed heart and grit that I’ve never seen from him before in a very entertaining  fight that finished a fair draw .

Prediction: For this fight i just can’t see past James DeGale. I have a feeling Jack might just be taylor made for him. I think the way DeGale works his way inside will see him take this fight on the cards if not by a late stoppage. DeGale does have flaws that Jack has to exploit and Jack can’t let DeGale dictate the pace at which he fights. One big critisim of DeGale is he takes to much time off during the fight and as Medina showed , he can be got at and put off his stride . this should be good, intruiging fight .

Steven Donnell

@Dinobhoy86   @DJayBoxingBlog