Former unified super middleweight champion Carl Froch has provided his view on James DeGale’s career in the wake of the Olympic gold medallist and former IBF champion’s retirement.
“He was a great fighter and he was an IBF champion. He won the world title,” Froch told talkSport. “He made history, he was the first guy to ever do that – win a gold medal and then go on to win a world title.
“So you’ve gotta have massive respect for him, but we’re talking about the top level of the elite – was he the best of the best? He wasn’t. He was mixing it with the best, but he got found wanting right at the top.
“If we’d have met in my career, I’d have been too strong for him, I’d have backed him up onto the ropes, he’d have sat there with his guard up and I’d have absolutely smashed him to bits.”
Froch, who retired with a record 33-2 (24) five years ago, still holds a grudge against DeGale who was emerging as a rival when he hung up his gloves.
“He said a few things about how I retired rather than fight him and he was all wrong for me and he would beat me. This is what he was suggesting,” Froch continued.
“I mean he lost to George Groves, I knocked George Groves out twice.
“Chris Eubank Jr [who defeated DeGale last Saturday] lost to Groves, so on paper, you know, James DeGale don’t really belong in the same ring as me, let’s be honest.
“But yeah, he had a few things to say. He sucked his teeth at me and tried to have a little bit of a go at me at the Badou Jack [fight] after the weigh-in.
“But I straightened him out, I let him realise who he was arguing with and he actually don’t wanna roll around on the cobbles with me, let me tell you.
“I told him to concentrate on Badou Jack because he can fight, as he found out the next day because he got his teeth knocked out.”