I'm an Olympic and world champion who is ending a six year absence to target Jake Paul and Tommy Fury

James DeGale will end nearly seven years of inactivity this weekend when he makes his bareknuckle boxing debut against Matty Floyd in Manchester, live on DAZN. 

The Londoner’s comeback has shocked the boxing world as ‘Chunky’ had long appeared content in retirement after walking away from the sport in 2019 following a high-profile loss against Chris Eubank Jr. 

Often in boxing, previous big names with mainstream appeal are often linked to returns once they have stepped out the spotlight. That trend never applied to DeGale in his lengthy absence from the sport meaning when he announced his switch to bareknuckle, it came as a surprise. 

At his best, DeGale was one of boxing’s shrewdest operators who fought at the highest level of boxing from day one thanks to an Olympic gold medal won in 2008 in Beijing. 

More titles would follow and in 2015 he became the first British fighter with an Olympic gold medal to go on and become world champion in the professional code. 

Marquee nights in Britain and America became frequent, but following a brutal fight with Badou Jack in 2017, a bout that stole the show in Brooklyn’s Barclay Centre, it appeared the wounds from the battle would stay with DeGale for the rest of his career.  

A two-fight series with Caleb Truax saw DeGale lose his world title in a stunning upset, but he was able to win it back in an immediate rematch. 

Despite the Truax success, it was more miles on DeGale’s clock and following a run in the sport that had almost guaranteed the maximum effort and desire from DeGale, against Eubank Jr at the start of 2019, he wore the face of a fighter who knew his time up. 

I was riddled with injuries

Many will still hold that image in 2025 when gearing up for this weekend’s bout with Floyd, but DeGale, intense with explaining his reasons for returning, is promising to deliver despite the problems he endured at the backend of his career. 

“I think about the last part of my career a couple times a week and I need to right the wrongs,” said DeGale in an exclusive sit-down with DAZN News . 

“I was riddled with injuries, there were little bits with my lifestyle that didn't help, but I was riddled with injuries. I had shoulder problems, there was an Achilles problem. I needed 18 months out the ring and with my ADHD, I wasn’t willing to do that because I was earning so much money, and I didn’t want it to end.” 

Reflecting on DeGale’s career alongside him, the downturn after the Jack fight is alarming and it appears to correspond with the multiple injuries mentioned by the former super-middleweight ruler. 

Disposing of elite names like Andre Dirrell and Lucien Bute, DeGale was riding an incredible wave of success with unification bouts at 168lbs awaiting him as well as a possible switch to light-heavyweight where lucrative contests beckoned. 

The defeat to Truax was a stunning result that was arguably the upset of 2017 as the unfancied American had previously demonstrated an unwanted ability to fall way short at the highest level following knockout losses to Danny Jacobs and Anthony Dirrell. 

I'm not here forever

DeGale would grab revenge against Truax the following year, but the scars of their first fight remained, and against Eubank Jr, DeGale knew his time on top was over as he silently slipped into retirement shortly after it had been announced that the Brighton man was declared the victor. 

In the time between then and now, DeGale has lived a comfortable life away from boxing and barring a handful of interviews, his time in the sun seemingly made him content following a testing spell in boxing that saw him tick multiple boxes including Olympic gold, world titles, and plenty of money. 

“I need to redeem myself. I’m doing it for myself. It’s not like I’m struggling or I need the money. I’m doing it purely for myself. You watch me in this bareknuckle, watch me f—k him up, and then I’m going to have a couple more in boxing. 

“Look, my world title days are done, but boxing’s changed since I haven’t been around. Misfits has gone big. Influencer boxing has gone big. There’s fights out there, Jake Paul, Tommy Fury, Darren Till, KSI.  

“I’m not here forever. I want to come back, have one or two then go away. I want to show you how handicapped I was when I finished boxing and then I’m gone again.”

Watch James DeGale vs Matt Floyd live on DAZN

BKFC 81 sees Olympic boxing champion James DeGale make his Bare Knuckle debut. Watch the fight and whole fight card live with a DAZN subscription.

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