Jack, Mayweather Agree There's No Need for Rematch With DeGale

By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – As competitive and entertaining as the James DeGale-Badou Jack fight was Saturday night, don’t expect to see a rematch.

Both boxers told Showtime’s Jim Gray they’d fight again after their majority draw was announced in the ring. Later, howerver, Jack and his promoter, Floyd Mayweather Jr., made it clear in the post-fight press conference early Sunday morning that they’re not interested in DeGale-Jack II.

Weight will be one of the primary reasons there won’t be a rematch, according to Jack. The 33-year-old Jack (20-1-3, 12 KOs) has a lot of trouble making the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds and doesn’t think London’s DeGale (23-1-1, 14 KOs) would follow him to light heavyweight.

“He’s not strong enough to beat me at super middleweight,” Jack said. “How’s he gonna go to light heavyweight? He’s too small for that. But I already proved I won the fight. So why would there be a rematch?”

None of the three judges credited Jack with winning their 12-round main event Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, despite that Jack knocked down DeGale during the 12th round and controlled the second half of their closely contested super middleweight championship unification fight.

Judge Glenn Feldman had DeGale ahead after 12 rounds, 114-112. The two other judges, Julie Lederman and Steve Weisfeld, scored the fight even by the same score (113-113).

Mayweather seconded Jack’s contention that there’s no need for a rematch with DeGale.

“The thing is this now in boxing,” Mayweather said, “if they can’t get it right the first time, they’re not gonna get it right the second time. Because we don’t need no second time around. The only time we needed something second time around was when they come to me and say, ‘Mayweather, we don’t think you …’ You sure? Or just because the guy won three rounds or he won four rounds, you think he won the fight. I said, ‘You know, line it up again.’ Badou Jack asked me and I feel bad, because I wasn’t a man of my word. He said, ‘Floyd, am I gonna get a fair shake?’ I said, ‘Don’t worry about that, champ. Absolutely.’ ”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.