"We were rivals as amateurs but we had a lot of respect for each other. When I'm going to be world champion, he is going to be world champion. We are going to lift this together." - James DeGale on late Irish boxer Darren Sutherland, 2015
In boxing circles, the predominant reaction to hearing James DeGale's name is a furrowed brow and a brief explanation as to why he's a bit of a clown.
The 30-year-old IBF World super-middleweight champion has been a contentious figure since he took Olympic gold at Beijing in 2008 and exploded on the professional scene in Britain, unapologetically scything his way through his first eight opponents en route to a spectacular destruction of the very capable Paul Smith for British honours. The Hammersmith sensation, aged just 24, was a British champion inside 10 pro fights. The boxing world was his oyster.
And then, just two fights later, he was the laughing stock of British sport. A prototype version of Sky Sports' current boxing hype model had a nation engrossed; in just his 11th fight, DeGale would fight his arch nemesis George Groves, with the undefeated amateur rivals headlining their own pay-per-view contest live on what was then Sky Box Office.
To Sky and Frank Warren's credit, the promotion was compelling even if the fight seemed somewhat premature. DeGale and Groves famously swapped slurs on Sky's now-online boxing weekly Ringside, with DeGale cutting the tracksuit-wearing rouge figure in comparison to the suit-clad and softly spoken underdog Groves, in whose mouth butter would have likely set up camp and found a home. The narrative had been written for DeGale as opposed to written by him. Groves was a lovely London bloke. DeGale, then, would need to assume the role of the brash bad guy to effectively sell the fight.
DeGale's narrow defeat was perceived as a comeuppance of sorts. Wayne Rooney was among those who tweeted their pleasure when Chunky jumped the gun when the MC uttered the words "AND STILL UNDEFEATED" - with the former Olympic champ forgetting that Groves, too, had entered the contest with an '0' in his loss column. For DeGale, it was a degrading and derailing defeat, and one that in the context of his somewhat lacklustre performances which followed, might have lowered the ceiling on his once-irrepressible rise.
"In the build up to that fight there was a villain," DeGale told this writer in 2015.
I was the villain. And there was a good guy - that was Groves. I think people found out what he's really about in the buildup to the Froch fight. His true colours. But in boxing, that's part of it. There's sometimes going to be [aggro]. There's rivalries, and sometimes you don't like each other.
But you lot forget that I was only 24, I was immature. And maybe I was a bit carried away with myself at that time.
That loss [to Groves] was the best thing to ever have happened to me, because it humbled me. I taught me that I have to work hard and I have to keep focused on my job.
A more focused DeGale was taken to the brink by unheralded Pole Piotr Wilczewski in his next outing, taking a majority decision to become European champion. He had, however, failed to impress, and the world title shot which once beckoned in his near future looked further away than ever.
It would be three years and seven fights later before DeGale rediscovered his verve, stopping three solid continental-level opponents in Gevorg Khatchikian, Brandon Gonzales and Marco Antonio Periban consecutively, and dragging himself back into the world title conversation. He remained somewhat of an outcast in British boxing circles, however, only making his return to Sky Sports for his clash with Gonzales after a number of fights on the comparative wilderness of Channel 5.
Nonetheless, three impressive stoppage wins propelled him to a world title shot on US soil. Awaiting DeGale in Boston was form American Andre Dirrell, 24-1 with 16 KOs.
It was in the lead-up to this eagerly anticipated and even contest, however, when the public perception of DeGale took a monumental shift - in Ireland, of all places.
DeGale was a long-standing amateur rival of the late, great Irish fighter Darren Sutherland, who had died in tragic circumstances six years prior to Chunky's shot at professional world honours. The pair were friendly behind the scenes, but such was immense talent, Sutherland had done a number on DeGale in four of their five showdowns before the 2008 Olympics. It was Beijing, however, where DeGale recorded his crucial second victory over the amiable Dub, going on to claim gold as Sutherland was forced to accept bronze for Ireland.
Future grudge matches surely beckoned when both men turned professional after Beijing. However, just over a year later, Sutherland - who was 4-0 with 4KOs in the paid ranks - took his own life in his new hometown of London. The loss of such a great character sent shockwaves through the world of Irish and British boxing, and few were more affected than DeGale, who had not only lost a rival but a pal.
It was in an interview with Chris McKenna in the UK Daily Star, almost six years after Sutherland's passing, when DeGale revealed a victory over Andre Dirrell would mean more to him than his simply becoming world champion.
DeGale told McKenna that he had worn a small tribute to Sutherland on his trunks during each of his fights since Dazzler's untimely passing - a gesture which had gone unnoticed on both sides of the Irish Sea:
It was so sad to hear about it. To put his initials on my shorts was just a bit of respect for him and his family who must have found it so hard.
We were rivals as amateurs but we had a lot of respect for each other. When I'm going to be world champion, he is going to be world champion.
We are going to lift this together. Maybe it is just his initials on my shorts but we will do it together.
In boxing terms, it was about as poignant a deed as one could imagine. Within the space of one interview, DeGale had morphed from mouthy brat to cool cat, and unbeknownst to himself, he entered his date with destiny versus Dirrell with the entire Irish boxing community behind him.
DeGale has worn a tribute to Sutherland on his fight shorts since he passed in 2009. A nice touch http://t.co/QXv6A1KI8O
— Chris McKenna (@cmckennasport) May 11, 2015
@KevooByrne @ClonesCyclone Had never noticed it until it was mentioned to me. Had to bring it up too, he didn't just drop it in.
— Chris McKenna (@cmckennasport) May 11, 2015
I'm all in on @jamesdegale1 now. Nicest, quietest, gesture I've seen in sport in years http://t.co/AiiBFvxGbR (via @ballsdotie )
— Dodge (@seidodge) May 13, 2015
DeGale's thoroughly entertaining victory was celebrated with equal fervour in these parts as it was in the UK, where his Star interview and tribute to Sutherland understandably hadn't quite spread to the same extent.
Post-fight, however, a gracious DeGale spoke with Adam Smith and the Sky Sports cameras in his dressing-room.
Amidst the magnitude of his achievement in what was a life-altering moment, his utter human decency escaped the clutches of his in-your-face persona once more.
The tide turned on DeGale overnight; once viewed as a consummate pugilistic villain, he returned to England a hero, IBF world strap proudly dangling from his shoulders.
Britain had won 17 gold medals in boxing, but no British gold medallist had ever proceeded to win a legitimate world title in the pro ranks. DeGale had made history as the away fighter on American soil, banishing demons not just from his own career but from British boxing folklore.
Less than 24 hours after arriving home from America, 'Chunky' spoke to Balls about his title victory and relationship with the late Sutherland. As indicated by those close to him in London, it became apparent that, behind his residual self-confidence there remained a humility rarely seen on camera - perhaps concealed by narratives past.
This modesty was never more conspicuous, however, than seven days later, when Sky Sports cameras panned to DeGale at London's O2 Arena, where for the first time he received the public acclaim he had craved since his professional debut. And in the same arena as where he was laughed out of the ring following his sole defeat to George Groves, no less.
Chunky has since defended his world title on two occasions, and tonight will attempt to unify the super-middleweight division when he faces a former conqueror of Groves, WBC champ Badou Jack, at Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.
Such is boxing's tribal nature in Britain, DeGale still has his detractors. Those with an allegiance to Groves, for example, would love nothing more than watching the former Olympic gold medallist falter once more - particularly considering Jack has already gotten the better of their man.
Somewhat ironically, however, the Irish boxing community will once more get behind the man who ruined Darren Sutherland's dreams in 2008, but will carry Dazzler with him to the ring in New York City.
DeGale-Jack is live on Sky Sports 1 from 2am (Saturday night/Sunday morning) Irish time.
