DeGale Relinquishes IBF Belt

https://fightnews.com/degale-vacates-ibf-super-middleweight-title/24731

This to me is a massive duck to get out of fighting the interim champ & mandatory for his title, Jose Uzcategui. Chunky obviously wants a UK fight for big money against Groves (or Smith, but Groves will sell better) and it seems that the only way he can do this is to dodge a potentially high-risk low-reward fighter.

The IBF are notoriously harsh on fighters not fighting their mandatories, so I guess Chunky did not want to be stripped. I don't know what's worse though - to vacate or be stripped? Either way is seen as a duck, and in this case it's as blatant as Bowe throwing his WBC belt in a dustbin.

My assumption is that he's realised that after the first Truax fight, he is getting vulnerable and now is the time to cash in on some big money fights with home-based fighters. He may well lose, but I don't think he's that bothered...

Yeah the courageous Tijuana, Mexico based Venezuelan certainly impressed in his last fight

Won’t be paying ppv for Chunky ever again that’s for sure

While I'm not particularly a fan of De Gale I don't want to be too harsh on him for the decision to drop the IBF belt. Until I see his next opponent at least.

If he gets a fight against BJS next then you can't really blame him for turning down a high risk/low reward fight against Uzcategui, which he probably would of ended up travelling for again.

I'd also struggle to put it on the same level as Riddick Bowe's ducking of Lewis. Bowe ducked Lewis to go on and fight an over the hill Dokes if I am not mistaken for undoubtedly less money than he would of got against Lewis. The only reason he had to drop the WBC belt was the worry Lewis would beat him.

I've no doubt if Uzcategui was accompanied with the sort of money he could make fighting the likes of Saunders, there wouldn't be much problem for De Gale in taking the fight.

Not the duck of the decade that goes to Adonis Stevenson but the duck of the year so far by some distance for me

He’ll never fight a pressure fighter again imo

Uzcategui too much for him and he thought he could beat Carl Froch what a joke sickens me that he walk into a big fight off the back of this

Very interesting matchup far more interesting than a DeGale:

https://youtu.be/UtEy9YSJ0q8

Not a fan of Degale, but its smart business by him Jose Uzcategui would smash him all over the place for a tin pot purse. Much better if he is gonna put his health on the line again and likely take a beating before he retires, it be for proper money that will give him a future after boxing and the only fight where that will happen is vs Groves.

You don’t relinquish in this sport unless you move up or retire that’s the bottom line

You won’t see Saunders relinquish real champion real man

Thats because BJS will likely get some very big paydays before he reaches the worn out stage that Degales in now. Its alright talking about real men, but he has to look after his financial future in a short career like boxing and its his brains bouncing of his skull so he will be looking for the biggest cheque for the risks he takes. Degale has never had the real big payday basically because he was never as good as he thinks he is and his style failed to excite people, now ironically as he has slipped his fights are now much more worth watching. I dont deny it leaves a bad tastein the mouth, but i can honestly see why he has done it. Just imagine he defended his title and gets a likely good leathering from Jose Uzcategui then he is finished and will never get the big fight he needs to secure himself.

Golovkin needs to stop ducking Saunders lol but anyway back to Groves. Unless he’s in on it he doesn’t need to drop down a level and give Chunky a payday, doesn’t need the aggro either. Ramirez is a bigger fight and adds to his legacy quite considerably- it’d be the biggest win of his career. In fact beating Smith and Ramirez you might even call George a British great. You got to respect how he regrouped and came back from his loss to Froch. And remember 30 seconds more in the first round first Froch fight he surelywould have been crowned champion

Maybe he doesn’t fancy Ramirez who knows so maybe the DeGale fight is in place already but let’s not look past Smith that looks a 50/50 too and we finally get to see how good Smith is. As everyone knows some say he’s the best of the brothers

And how about Uzcategui vs Eubank? That’s a fight I would love to see. Eubank’s never beaten off a pressure fighter to date

I honestly think Uzcategui would smash Eubanks all over the place Jnr is far too basic to beat the top men, his lack of power and defence will find him in huge trouble when he is going toe to toe with a skilled big puncher with a good chin.

I hope any and all of the names mentioned turn him down or offer him crap money as he hasn't got a belt to bargain with anymore. I know the argument of 'its a business' etc but it still takes the piss big time