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| James DeGale beats Andre Dirrell for IBF super middleweight title – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.02pm ET23:02 | |
| Signing off | |
| We thank you for tearing yourselves away from Eurovision to watch the boxing with us. Congratulations to James DeGale, remarkably the first of Britain’s 17 Olympic gold medalists in boxing to win a world championship as a professional. | |
| 5.50pm ET22:50 | 5.50pm ET22:50 |
| The secret of his success | The secret of his success |
| “Speed and footwork,” says DeGale when asked which skill he needed most against Dirrell. “See when I was coming in and out, throwing punches over the top? I’m back now, i’m injury-free. I will take on any super middleweight in the world. I’m hard to beat when I’m at my best. I’m telling you, I’m hard to beat.” | “Speed and footwork,” says DeGale when asked which skill he needed most against Dirrell. “See when I was coming in and out, throwing punches over the top? I’m back now, i’m injury-free. I will take on any super middleweight in the world. I’m hard to beat when I’m at my best. I’m telling you, I’m hard to beat.” |
| Here are the stats from DeGale's win #PBConNBC pic.twitter.com/7y8K3AlLLv | |
| Updated at 6.19pm ET | |
| 5.45pm ET22:45 | 5.45pm ET22:45 |
| DeGale: “It’s an unbelievable feeling” | DeGale: “It’s an unbelievable feeling” |
| “I’m speechless,” DeGale says. “My whole career, all I’ve been building up to is winning a world title. And I’ve finally done it. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m world champ. I’m world champ! I made history. First [British] Olympic gold medalist to be a world champion.” | “I’m speechless,” DeGale says. “My whole career, all I’ve been building up to is winning a world title. And I’ve finally done it. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m world champ. I’m world champ! I made history. First [British] Olympic gold medalist to be a world champion.” |
| .@jamesdegale1 is the first British Olympic Champion to be a World Champion #PBConNBC pic.twitter.com/NSfrO4UbmM | |
| Updated at 6.27pm ET | |
| 5.39pm ET22:39 | 5.39pm ET22:39 |
| James DeGale UD 12 Andre Dirrell | James DeGale UD 12 Andre Dirrell |
| The official scores are 114-112, 117-109 and 114-112, all to the winner by unanimous decision: James DeGale! | The official scores are 114-112, 117-109 and 114-112, all to the winner by unanimous decision: James DeGale! |
| 5.38pm ET22:38 | 5.38pm ET22:38 |
| Waiting on the official cards | Waiting on the official cards |
| Andre Dirrell’s comeback comes up just short in my view as I’ve scored it 114-112 to James DeGale, but we’re waiting on the official cards. | Andre Dirrell’s comeback comes up just short in my view as I’ve scored it 114-112 to James DeGale, but we’re waiting on the official cards. |
| 5.37pm ET22:37 | 5.37pm ET22:37 |
| Round 12 | Round 12 |
| DeGale pounces in and throws a good combination to the body before escaping out the back door. Dirrell with an uppercut to the body. Lots of activity from DeGale here, while Dirrell looks exhausted. DeGale is finishing very strongly here and putting a punctuation on what should be a championship effort. DeGale triples up the jab then follows with a big right hook that lands flush. Will be interesting to see how the judges score this one. | DeGale pounces in and throws a good combination to the body before escaping out the back door. Dirrell with an uppercut to the body. Lots of activity from DeGale here, while Dirrell looks exhausted. DeGale is finishing very strongly here and putting a punctuation on what should be a championship effort. DeGale triples up the jab then follows with a big right hook that lands flush. Will be interesting to see how the judges score this one. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 112-114 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 112-114 DeGale) |
| 5.33pm ET22:33 | 5.33pm ET22:33 |
| Round 11 | Round 11 |
| DeGale still setting up Dirrell for that overhand right and finally connects with it but Dirrell takes it well: it shows DeGale has nothing on his punches anymore. Quiet round for Dirrell, who hasn’t connected with much. DeGale unloads against Dirrell along the ropes by Dirrell wraps him up. Best round for DeGale in a while, but it’s still a close one that could go either way. Three more minutes. | DeGale still setting up Dirrell for that overhand right and finally connects with it but Dirrell takes it well: it shows DeGale has nothing on his punches anymore. Quiet round for Dirrell, who hasn’t connected with much. DeGale unloads against Dirrell along the ropes by Dirrell wraps him up. Best round for DeGale in a while, but it’s still a close one that could go either way. Three more minutes. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 102-105 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 102-105 DeGale) |
| 5.29pm ET22:29 | 5.29pm ET22:29 |
| Round 10 | Round 10 |
| DeGale in retreat now and it could prove costly. He’s looking a bit gassed. Dirrell rocks DeGale with a right uppercut that detonates square on the Brit’s chin. Dirrell bullies DeGale into a corner and lets his hands go. Only a few punches land, but it’s the sort of combination which might not look too effective in slow motion but which can really impress the judges. Another round to Dirrell, who clearly has the momentum entering the championship rounds. | DeGale in retreat now and it could prove costly. He’s looking a bit gassed. Dirrell rocks DeGale with a right uppercut that detonates square on the Brit’s chin. Dirrell bullies DeGale into a corner and lets his hands go. Only a few punches land, but it’s the sort of combination which might not look too effective in slow motion but which can really impress the judges. Another round to Dirrell, who clearly has the momentum entering the championship rounds. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 93-95 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 93-95 DeGale) |
| 5.25pm ET22:25 | 5.25pm ET22:25 |
| Round 9 | Round 9 |
| It’s not that DeGale looks tired, but he’s being outworked here by Dirrell. That’s a dangerous game for a visiting fighter against a homestanding opponent. Dirrell connects with a hard counter hook. DeGale comes back with a left to the body and an uppercut, but Dirrell winning the round on volume. The fighters taunt one another near the end of the round with expletives, even after the bell rings. “Fight me!” exhorts Dirrell. “What mother-fucker!” | It’s not that DeGale looks tired, but he’s being outworked here by Dirrell. That’s a dangerous game for a visiting fighter against a homestanding opponent. Dirrell connects with a hard counter hook. DeGale comes back with a left to the body and an uppercut, but Dirrell winning the round on volume. The fighters taunt one another near the end of the round with expletives, even after the bell rings. “Fight me!” exhorts Dirrell. “What mother-fucker!” |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 83-86 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 83-86 DeGale) |
| 5.20pm ET22:20 | 5.20pm ET22:20 |
| Round 8 | Round 8 |
| DeGale seems to be coasting a bit here, but Dirrell not as busy as he was in the seventh. DeGale circling Dirrell and Dirrell catches him with a stinging straight right. DeGale just misses with a massive left hand, but connects with a lead hook counter and then an uppercut. With 10 seconds left, Dirrell switches to orthodox and tees off against DeGale in the corner, but lands nothing of significance. A very close round. | DeGale seems to be coasting a bit here, but Dirrell not as busy as he was in the seventh. DeGale circling Dirrell and Dirrell catches him with a stinging straight right. DeGale just misses with a massive left hand, but connects with a lead hook counter and then an uppercut. With 10 seconds left, Dirrell switches to orthodox and tees off against DeGale in the corner, but lands nothing of significance. A very close round. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 73-77 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 73-77 DeGale) |
| Updated at 5.21pm ET | Updated at 5.21pm ET |
| 5.16pm ET22:16 | 5.16pm ET22:16 |
| Round 7 | Round 7 |
| Deft footwork from DeGale: lateral and in-and-out movement. Dirrell gets DeGale up against the ropes and uncoils a six-punch combination upstairs. DeGale seems to be setting Dirrell up for the overhand left that dropped him twice back in the second, but Dirrell thus far not falling into the trap. More combination punching from DeGale against the ropes: he’s really letting his hands go. Inspired rebound round from the American, who outworked DeGale clearly and effectively. | Deft footwork from DeGale: lateral and in-and-out movement. Dirrell gets DeGale up against the ropes and uncoils a six-punch combination upstairs. DeGale seems to be setting Dirrell up for the overhand left that dropped him twice back in the second, but Dirrell thus far not falling into the trap. More combination punching from DeGale against the ropes: he’s really letting his hands go. Inspired rebound round from the American, who outworked DeGale clearly and effectively. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 64-67 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 64-67 DeGale) |
| 5.12pm ET22:12 | 5.12pm ET22:12 |
| Round 6 | Round 6 |
| DeGale connecting with combinations early and now it’s Dirrell who’s bleeding from the nose. Dirrell has seemingly given up on DeGale’s body and all but quit throwing punches in combinations. Now Dirrell misses with a right cross and DeGale counters beautifully with a well-timed right hand that rocks the American. The fighters trading hellacous shots here at the end of the round. A close action round that we’ll tip to DeGale, but this is one of several so far that could go either way on the official cards. | DeGale connecting with combinations early and now it’s Dirrell who’s bleeding from the nose. Dirrell has seemingly given up on DeGale’s body and all but quit throwing punches in combinations. Now Dirrell misses with a right cross and DeGale counters beautifully with a well-timed right hand that rocks the American. The fighters trading hellacous shots here at the end of the round. A close action round that we’ll tip to DeGale, but this is one of several so far that could go either way on the official cards. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 54-58 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 54-58 DeGale) |
| 5.08pm ET22:08 | 5.08pm ET22:08 |
| Round 5 | Round 5 |
| The cut by DeGale’s eye has stopped bleeding but the swelling looks bad. DeGale controlling the tempo and he’s first off, beating Dirrell to the punch. Dirrell trying to keep the fight in the center of the ring while DeGale would rather work along the ropes. Dirrell using the jab with so-so success, but DeGale very confident now and connecting with power punches upstairs and to the body. A good round for DeGale. | The cut by DeGale’s eye has stopped bleeding but the swelling looks bad. DeGale controlling the tempo and he’s first off, beating Dirrell to the punch. Dirrell trying to keep the fight in the center of the ring while DeGale would rather work along the ropes. Dirrell using the jab with so-so success, but DeGale very confident now and connecting with power punches upstairs and to the body. A good round for DeGale. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 45-48 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 45-48 DeGale) |
| 5.04pm ET22:04 | 5.04pm ET22:04 |
| Round 4 | Round 4 |
| Dirrell using distance to keep DeGale at bay. Nice body shot by DeGale. Dirrell switches from southpaw to orthodox stance and DeGale pecks away with the jab. Dirrell switches back to southpaw. Dirrell finishes the round strong, landing the harder more significant blows. Very tight round we’ll give to Dirrell. | Dirrell using distance to keep DeGale at bay. Nice body shot by DeGale. Dirrell switches from southpaw to orthodox stance and DeGale pecks away with the jab. Dirrell switches back to southpaw. Dirrell finishes the round strong, landing the harder more significant blows. Very tight round we’ll give to Dirrell. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 36-38 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 36-38 DeGale) |
| 5.00pm ET22:00 | 5.00pm ET22:00 |
| Round 3 | Round 3 |
| Dirrell boxing nicely behind the jab here. DeGale hunting for the knockout, but Dirrell avoid the big left. A hard right hook by DeGale but Dirrell scoring with a steady diet of jabs and seeming to set the pace here. Yet DeGale busting Dirrell up against the ropes at the end of the round with shots to the head and body. Just like the second: Dirrell winning for most of the round but DeGale able to steal it late. | Dirrell boxing nicely behind the jab here. DeGale hunting for the knockout, but Dirrell avoid the big left. A hard right hook by DeGale but Dirrell scoring with a steady diet of jabs and seeming to set the pace here. Yet DeGale busting Dirrell up against the ropes at the end of the round with shots to the head and body. Just like the second: Dirrell winning for most of the round but DeGale able to steal it late. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 26-29 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 9-10 DeGale (Dirrell 26-29 DeGale) |
| 4.56pm ET21:56 | 4.56pm ET21:56 |
| Round 2 | Round 2 |
| A sharp overhand right by Dirrell opens a cut over DeGale’s left eye. And it’s a bad cut. That could be a difference-maker. Dirrell boxing smartly here and DeGale is going to have to do something special to get back into this fight. And there it is! DeGale connect with a heat-seeking overhand left that dumps Dirrell to the canvas! Wow! A massive shot set up beautifully by DeGale. Dirrell makes it to his feel but he’s hurt badly. DeGale connects with another overhand left that knocks Dirrell down again! Dirrell saved by the bell. He’d only been down once previously in his career ... but floored twice in the last minute of that round. What a reversal. | A sharp overhand right by Dirrell opens a cut over DeGale’s left eye. And it’s a bad cut. That could be a difference-maker. Dirrell boxing smartly here and DeGale is going to have to do something special to get back into this fight. And there it is! DeGale connect with a heat-seeking overhand left that dumps Dirrell to the canvas! Wow! A massive shot set up beautifully by DeGale. Dirrell makes it to his feel but he’s hurt badly. DeGale connects with another overhand left that knocks Dirrell down again! Dirrell saved by the bell. He’d only been down once previously in his career ... but floored twice in the last minute of that round. What a reversal. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 7-10 DeGale (Dirrell 17-19 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 7-10 DeGale (Dirrell 17-19 DeGale) |
| Degale knocks Dirrell down #PBConNBC pic.twitter.com/nDrDhMIh9g | |
| Updated at 6.22pm ET | |
| 4.51pm ET21:51 | 4.51pm ET21:51 |
| Round 1 | Round 1 |
| Slow start as Dirrell and DeGale feel each other out. The fighters, both southpaws, flicking jabs in the the center of the ring. Dirrell connects with a sharp counter left uppercut. DeGale looking to connect with his left hand, but Dirrell countering nicely. DeGale looking a bit stiff here. He scores with nice left hook late but it’s not enough to take the round. | Slow start as Dirrell and DeGale feel each other out. The fighters, both southpaws, flicking jabs in the the center of the ring. Dirrell connects with a sharp counter left uppercut. DeGale looking to connect with his left hand, but Dirrell countering nicely. DeGale looking a bit stiff here. He scores with nice left hook late but it’s not enough to take the round. |
| Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 10-9 DeGale) | Guardian’s unofficial score: Dirrell 10-9 DeGale (Dirrell 10-9 DeGale) |
| 4.45pm ET21:45 | 4.45pm ET21:45 |
| Final instructions | Final instructions |
| The fighters meet at the center of the ring for final instructions. Seconds out and we’ll have round-by-round coverage from here on out! | The fighters meet at the center of the ring for final instructions. Seconds out and we’ll have round-by-round coverage from here on out! |
| 4.42pm ET21:42 | 4.42pm ET21:42 |
| Fighters making ringwalks | Fighters making ringwalks |
| Here comes DeGale making his entrance to Lil Wayne’s Right Above It. And next Dirrell, who enters to Roy Jones Jr’s Can’t Be Touched. Advantage: Dirrell. | Here comes DeGale making his entrance to Lil Wayne’s Right Above It. And next Dirrell, who enters to Roy Jones Jr’s Can’t Be Touched. Advantage: Dirrell. |
| 4.40pm ET21:40 | 4.40pm ET21:40 |
| Preamble | Preamble |
| Welcome to Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University, where today James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) will attempt to become the first Olympic gold medalist from the UK to win a world championship when he fights Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight title. The fight is being telecast on NBC here in the US as a part of Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series. | Welcome to Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University, where today James DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs) will attempt to become the first Olympic gold medalist from the UK to win a world championship when he fights Andre Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF super middleweight title. The fight is being telecast on NBC here in the US as a part of Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions series. |
| Updated at 4.41pm ET | Updated at 4.41pm ET |
| 4.25pm ET21:25 | 4.25pm ET21:25 |
| Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not read Richard Williams’ look back at Muhammad Ali’s rematch win over Sonny Liston, which took place 50 years ago yesterday: | Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not read Richard Williams’ look back at Muhammad Ali’s rematch win over Sonny Liston, which took place 50 years ago yesterday: |
| If you happened to be a young person in 1965 it was hard to know where to look next as the frivolity of sport and song jostled with events profound enough to reshape the world. The year had barely begun when Malcolm X was assassinated while preparing to address a meeting in New York. The Beatles picked up their MBEs and played Shea Stadium. Lyndon Johnson sent the first ground troops to Vietnam. PJ Proby’s velvet trousers split on stage in Croydon. The Kray brothers were remanded and the Moors murderers charged. Liverpool won the FA Cup for the first time and Stanley Matthews played his last match, aged 50. | If you happened to be a young person in 1965 it was hard to know where to look next as the frivolity of sport and song jostled with events profound enough to reshape the world. The year had barely begun when Malcolm X was assassinated while preparing to address a meeting in New York. The Beatles picked up their MBEs and played Shea Stadium. Lyndon Johnson sent the first ground troops to Vietnam. PJ Proby’s velvet trousers split on stage in Croydon. The Kray brothers were remanded and the Moors murderers charged. Liverpool won the FA Cup for the first time and Stanley Matthews played his last match, aged 50. |
| More? Three Rolling Stones were fined a fiver each for urinating in a petrol station forecourt in Essex on the way home from a show. India and Pakistan went to war over Kashmir while mods and rockers fought on the beach in Brighton. Jim Clark became the first non-American driver to win the Indy 500. David Bailey married Catherine Deneuve. Incitement to racial hatred was banned in the UK. The model Jean Shrimpton scandalised Australian society by turning up for the Melbourne Cup in a dress with a hem three inches above the knee. Bob Dylan went electric and the year’s endless parade of hits included Like a Rolling Stone, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Stop! In the Name of Love, My Generation, Help, In the Midnight Hour, California Girls, I Got You Babe, Mr Tambourine Man, The Tracks of My Tears and You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’. | More? Three Rolling Stones were fined a fiver each for urinating in a petrol station forecourt in Essex on the way home from a show. India and Pakistan went to war over Kashmir while mods and rockers fought on the beach in Brighton. Jim Clark became the first non-American driver to win the Indy 500. David Bailey married Catherine Deneuve. Incitement to racial hatred was banned in the UK. The model Jean Shrimpton scandalised Australian society by turning up for the Melbourne Cup in a dress with a hem three inches above the knee. Bob Dylan went electric and the year’s endless parade of hits included Like a Rolling Stone, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Stop! In the Name of Love, My Generation, Help, In the Midnight Hour, California Girls, I Got You Babe, Mr Tambourine Man, The Tracks of My Tears and You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’. |
| And 50 years ago this Monday, in the midst of that social, political and cultural maelstrom, the former Cassius Clay, fighting for the first time as Muhammad Ali, took one minute and 44 seconds to demolish Sonny Liston’s attempt to recapture his world heavyweight title. | And 50 years ago this Monday, in the midst of that social, political and cultural maelstrom, the former Cassius Clay, fighting for the first time as Muhammad Ali, took one minute and 44 seconds to demolish Sonny Liston’s attempt to recapture his world heavyweight title. |