Boxing
'We just need a fight!' - Ex-champion issues Fury-Joshua demand
Garcia vs. Benn live on DAZN PPV - Saturday
James DeGale has called on Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua to get their money-spinning showdown over the line — regardless of where it takes place.
Fury took to social media at the weekend to call out Oleksandr Usyk for a third bout after claiming the superfight with Joshua was off.
While there has been no official announcement, Eddie Hearn has stepped up his war with Dana White by sending a legal letter to TKO, the parent company of Zuffa Boxing.
The dispute over a location has been the sticking point, with New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden seemingly in pole position over London’s Wembley Stadium.
But DeGale, who won Olympic gold in 2008 before a stellar pro career saw him become a two-time IBF world super-middleweight champion, simply wants boxing fans to get the contest they long for.
Speaking exclusively to DAZN News via RightBet, he said: “I think that AJ vs. Fury should happen for the British public. We've all been waiting for it for years.
“Many will say that it is probably five or six years too late — and they are probably right in terms of seeing those two guys at their absolute peak.
“Don’t get me wrong, that would have been unreal, but it doesn’t matter if the fight still goes ahead. That is all that needs to happen, no matter when.
“We just need a fight put on because everyone’s wanting to see it — and everyone deserves to see it.
“The fight should be in London, but it is what it is. Of course, the British public deserve to have it in London, but we all know the reality of not just boxing but sport in general.
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“Money talks — and good luck to both of them! If it’s in New York or London, everyone will still tune in, so it’s more about just getting the fight put on. That’s what really matters to the public over where it is.
“Let them both get £100million out of the fight and then they can sail off into the sunset and into retirement, finishing off with the fight that everyone wants and deserves to see.
“It’s a straight 50-50 shootout. I couldn’t pick either way. They both have the ability to land one that ends it all — that one punch to retire their opponent.”
DeGale, 40, hung up his gloves after losing a unanimous decision to Chris Eubank Jr at London’s O2 Arena in February 2019.
While that defeat left a bitter taste, the frustration of bowing out at less than 100% has driven his decision to return to the ring later this month against Marcus Portman in Wolverhampton.
DeGale scratched the itch by making a successful bareknuckle debut in BKFC last year, defeating Matt Floyd on points after a five-round brawl, but he craves a proper farewell in the squared circle.
With Portman firmly in his sights, the Londoner is also training his cousin Lee Cook, a former professional footballer, ahead of his boxing debut at A Night To Remember III on October 22 against Martin Woods.
DeGale added: “I've always wanted one more fight. The way I finished my career, if I’m being truly honest, still haunts me to this day.
“People don't realise that I was boxing with injuries and I had chronic inflammation. I could reel off a list of the things my body was going through and suffering from — then I think people might actually be able to understand.
“This is just to show people how handicapped I was fighting at the end of my career. This isn't for anybody else. This is for myself.
“I just want to go in, smash it, get a good win and say ‘I told you so’.”
James DeGale is training Lee Cook ahead of A Night To Remember III on Thursday, October 22, at The Grosvenor House Hotel. To get your table, head to ProProjectPromotions.com.
Watch Garcia vs. Benn on DAZN
Britain's Conor Benn looks to become a world champion for the first time against US superstar Ryan Garcia on Saturday, September 12.
Watch the fight exclusively in the UK & Ireland and other territories (check for availability) on DAZN PPV or included in our Ultimate Tier subscription.
