Degale gets his mandatory status.

The WBC have just tweeted that James Degale is the number one challenger to Sakio Bikas belt.

What do we think then guys? Is this a fight he can win or does he get bullied by Bika?

Bullied

I think Degale has it in him to beat Bika - but he'll need to be coming with a bit more than he's shown so far. I'm convinced it's there, but if he doesn't show that little bit extra then I reckon he'll lose a decision.

I thought Degale looked the part in his last fight and was doing some really, really nice stuff in there, but once he got hurt in the seventh it seemed to totally sap his confidence for a bit and throw him off his game plan. Then for the next three rounds it was the same old Degale which we've got tired of, taking breathers, dropping his hands too low, letting the other guy initiate the exchanges etc.

The Degale who showed up early in that fight (and who reappeared near the end, in fairness), getting off first, carrying the fight and switching speedy combinations between head and body, can spring the upset here as Bika can't match him for speed and hasn't got much of a defence. But that's on the condition that Degale stays alert, busy and off the ropes for twelve whole rounds......And so far, he just hasn't done that.

Guys like Ward and Calzaghe (Degale and McDonnell will study that fight if they have any sense) didn't look good against Bika, but don't forget that they were smart enough to realise how to stop Bika building up momentum. Both of them (particularly Calzaghe) managed actually push him to the ropes, when usually it's the other way round, as well as employing little tactics like hitting on the break and a bit of rabbit punching now and then. If you just box going away all the time against Bika, sticking and moving, then he just grows in confidence at the fact that you're "running" and builds up momentum which is hard to stop.

If Degale has any of those lulls he's prone to, dropping his output and sitting on the ropes, then Bika will chew him up and spit him out. I think Degale needs to have confidence in his own ability to be the aggressor and take the fight to him. He's shown he can do this when he wants, and if he can sustain that torrent of uppercuts thrown from odd, disguised angles along with the fast combinations to the body which we saw early against Khatchikian, then he'd be well-placed to make a proper fight of it against Bika, for me.

But as I said, he hasn't sustained it for twelve rounds yet, and he had a bad reaction (more mentally than physically) last time he got hurt - and Bika will check his chin at some stage. Bika on points is the most likely outcome, I feel, but I think Degale is a really, really live underdog in this one and I wouldn't be as surprised as I think a lot of others will be if he pulled it off.

i think bika will wear down degale in the second half of the fight, and come on strong and stop him late or win on points, degale doesnt seem to handle a tough 12 rounds well, and sometimes fights like fitness is a issue to him.

his best shot is to start of strong and quick and try and get him out early, problem is that bika is a heck of a tough nut and i dont think degale has the power,

as you say chris, degale has it in him to win, but i dont think he will. his lack of experience against a top fighter might also cost him. a shame as i actually took to degale after the groves loss.

Degale will win...cos hes CHUNKY

Regardless of who I think will win (honestly no idea where to start) this is great news. I'm no fan of Degale at all and especially not his moron of a trainer but if he can beat Bika we have a hell of a scene here in the UK. Three world class SMWs and some great fights to look forward to.

War Chunky!

Any news on what shopping centre is likely to host this yet?

I heard they're trying to move the chunky one up to bigger and more prestigious venues. 

There's a school in South London that has just opened a new gym.

Rather see this than Fury-chisora.

Feel a bit sorry for Degale..Groves is the million dollar golden boy and yet people forget many onlookers had Degale beating him..

Been poorly managed in my opinion

I think it's more than poor management. He's had a bunch of lackluster performances and many fans seem to have noticed that he's missing 'something'. Plus, he's very unlikable. If he wants to be getting big fights he'll need to beat the likes of Bika. He's capable talent-wise. Not totally sure he has the poise/resilience. If he beats Bika and GG beats Froch, it would be some rematch.

All the pitter patter punches, posturing, show boating and shoulder roll will be lost on Bika. He's going to come at DeGale with the sole intention of punching him into oblivion by any means necessary. This is a big step up for DeGale and I wouldn't be confident he's rugged enough for the task.

Anthony Dirrell should have beaten Bika in his last fight but Dirrell in my eyes is a lot tougher and resilient than DeGale.

Maybe I've missed something with DeGale but I just don't see the special talent others do. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't take this fight. I'm not sure he's ready for it such has been the level of his opponents to date.

He's 28.....

He'll have to take it...Bika is with Abraham the worst of the bunch..

got a feeling degales laziness in rounds could cost him a points defeat in this one, although if its in britain im sure the ref or judges will be more than willing to help him out. degale doesn't have the power to trouble bika who will keep coming forward. degale could easily out box bika but will need to do it for the whole 12 rounds and for the whole 3 minutes of every round. something he hasnt done in his career so far

lets just hope its not howard foster/IJL, otherwise he'll jump in when degale lands a couple of jabs!!

Crazy to think a guy still fighting in leisure centres could realistically be a World Champion, unbelievable.

Shows what a joke the ranking system is, especially the WBC's who refuse (unless you're special) to rank other ranked fighters or allow their champs to hold multiple belts.

Only remotely interesting thing is IF, and it's a big if, Groves beats Froch and DeGale beats Bika, we could have a very tasty all Brit unification* showdown.



*albeit one that, absurdly, still only cements #p2 in the division.

TopHat24/7 wrote:Crazy to think a guy still fighting in leisure centres could realistically be a World Champion, unbelievable.  

Shows what a joke the ranking system is, especially the WBC's who refuse (unless you're special) to rank other ranked fighters or allow their champs to hold multiple belts.

Only remotely interesting thing is IF, and it's a big if, Groves beats Froch and DeGale beats Bika, we could have a very tasty all Brit unification* showdown.



*albeit one that, absurdly, still only cements #p2 in the division.

At Nottingham's Broadmarsh shopping centre.

Not sure Degale will ever be marketable enough for Groves to risk fighting title or not..

Groves will have a good honeymoon period post-Froch....should he win.

There will be no real pressure to fight Degale as Degale has no band-wagon.

I've always thought that Bika was a pretty crude boxer... borderline division top 10, he's lucky to hold a major belt. Saying that, he can be quite awkward, and he's a very physical fighter, certainly no walkover for anyone (unless your name's Andre Ward). I have no doubt that DeGale is the better boxer, but Bika is stronger, more aggressive, and experienced at a much higher level. I think it's winnable for DeGale, but I can't help thinking that he's going to get bossed around and lose the decision.

Also, thinking about it, would WBC allow it anyway?

Because if the belt is the main draw, for GG, then knowing WBC would strip him or make him drop the IBF would probably kill his interest in the fight anyway.

smashingstormcrow wrote:I've always thought that Bika was a pretty crude boxer... borderline division top 10, he's lucky to hold a major belt. Saying that, he can be quite awkward, and he's a very physical fighter, certainly no walkover for anyone (unless your name's Andre Ward). I have no doubt that DeGale is the better boxer, but Bika is stronger, more aggressive, and experienced at a much higher level. I think it's winnable for DeGale, but I can't help thinking that he's going to get bossed around and lose the decision.

Despite the crazy scoring I thought Bika took Ward down to the wire in their fight. I had it level after 10 rounds, with only an incredible headbutt from Ward helping him to take the final rounds. Bute and Calzaghe certainly handled Bika more easily than Ward for me.

other thing to realize is bika is now 34 and the way he fights has had it pretty tough, cant see him being near the version that fought ward 4 years ago let alone calzaghe 8 years ago

his last two fights since winning the title have been a MD and SD, i haven't seen either but it suggests they have been close against guys who aint no world beaters

Degale all night long for me.