DeGale Has Too Much Ability For Badou Jack, Says Gallagher

By Ben Jacobs

Super middleweight contender Callum Smith (21-0, 16KOs) has, like many, been waiting over the past few months to see if the fight between WBC champion Badou Jack and IBF champion James DeGale would materialize. 

Now with that contest finally in place, Smith - as the mandatory challenger to the WBC title - can look forward to a clash with the winner.

DeGale (23-1, 14KOs) and Jack (20-1-2, 12KOs) will collide on January 14th in a unification televised by Showtime and Sky Sports.

Joe Gallagher, who trains Smith, looks forward to his fighter's world title opportunity - after a very long wait. Smith will first defend his title against Luke Blackledge, on Matchroom's upcoming event on November 26.

“The mandatory was due in September then it was November then finally in January, and there can now be no more delays.  If that fight doesn’t happen in January, then it is off and Callum would fight Jack.  It looks like Callum will defend his British title against Luke Blackledge, I’m pleased about that.  It’s a title fight with title conditions, unlike his last couple of fights.  He’s got to perform, he’s a proud British champion and he will be out there in January ringside watching the Jack-DeGale fight as a keen observer," Gallagher told BoxingScene.com. 

“It’s a shame we didn’t get the Jack fight, it would have been a good learning fight for us, a good win but we can’t have it all the ways we want. I think DeGale will beat Jack, I think he’s got too much in the locker, too much boxing ability for Jack.”