Ex-world champion DeGale to make bare-knuckle bow

Former world champion James DeGale will make his bare-knuckle fighting debut on 27 September in Manchester.

DeGale, 39, retired from boxing in 2019 after a unanimous decision defeat by Chris Eubank Jr.

He will return to combat sports against Australian Matt Floyd on the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship card at the AO Arena.

“UK I’m back. This time the gloves are off,” the Londoner wrote on Instagram.

“Everyone asking what version you’re getting… seven years out, body healed, mind sharp – it’s the best one yet. Demolition job pending.”

DeGale became the first British boxer to win both an Olympic gold medal and a professional world title.

He won middleweight gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and claimed the IBF super-middleweight title in May 2015 with a points win over American Andre Dirrell.

Nicknamed ‘Chunky’, he lost the belt in December 2017 to Caleb Truax but regained it in a rematch in April 2018 before vacating it later that year.

After being outpointed by fellow Briton Eubank Jr in what was his third career loss, DeGale said he was “not the fighter I once was” and announced his retirement shortly after.