James DeGale retains IBF super-middleweight title with points victory over Rogelio Medina
James DeGale retained his IBF super-middleweight title in Washington DC on Saturday night (30 April) with a unanimous points win against Mexico's Rogelio Medina. The 30-year-old southpaw won the bout comfortably, with one judge scoring the contest 115-113 and two scoring it 117-111 in his favour.
After the fight, the London-born star admitted he was disappointed not to have stopped his opponent. He did, however, admit he is still learning and improving as a fighter from each of his bouts.
"He's a very tough fighter, he has obviously got a lot stronger and better over the last year and a half," DeGale said, according to Sky Sports. "I should be taking out people like Medina, that's no disrespect to him. But I'm still learning. But the main thing is I am still champ. I've got to work on things still."
DeGale's latest win could potentially set up a money-spinning fight against Sweden's Badou Jack, who defended his WBC title on the same card against Lucian Bute. The 32-year-old achieved a majority draw against former world champion, although Jack subsequently claimed he won the fight by a greater margin than the scorecards acknowledged.
"I thought I won the fight," said Jack. "He's a hell of a fighter. He deserves a lot of credit. He's a great guy and a great champion, but I won the fight."
Meanwhile, Jack's promoter, retired superstar Floyd Mayweather, said he expected his fighter to face DeGale in London in September. "James DeGale is a very exciting fighter," he admitted. "He's also very explosive. In the future, those two meet down the line in a unification bout, sometime in September. We have to take that to the UK."
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.