On Saturday night at Manchester’s AO Arena, British boxing icon James Degale made his bare knuckle fighting debut.
On Sunday, he retired.
Degale defeated Australia’s Matt Floyd by unanimous decision.
But the win came at a price. The underdog Floyd made it a messy fight, with clinches, low blows, and other fouls including a blatant headbutt.
Degale wasn’t entirely innocent. He was also docked a point for fouls, and the referee cautioned both men through the five-round foul fest.
The physicality of the match, and the toll it took on Degale’s 39-year-old body, likely led to Degale and his team opting out of future no-glove contests. The West London native first started boxing at age 10, and the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist fought 29 pro bouts before retiring in 2019.
You’d guess BKFC offered Degale a well-sized purse to come out of retirement and give gloveless fighting a go. Will Degale try to restart his boxing career or try influencer boxing? We don’t know. Just don’t expect “Chunky” back in BKFC.
“The Manchester crowd’s energy was incredible and gave him a real lift. BKFC ran a great event and we respect them, but bare-knuckle isn’t for him. Boxing’s discipline and respect will always be his standard,” stated Team Degale in a press release.
Photo Credit: BKFC
