When the bell sounded Saturday night, Badou Jack and James DeGale both raised their hands in victory while a boisterous crowd stood cheering them at Barclays Center.
The two super middleweight champions had just ended a toe-to-toe exchange that served as the final topping of a terrific fight. Jack, the WBC super middleweight champion, was dropped in the first round and DeGale, the IBF champ, was decked in the 12th. In between was a spectacular blend of courageous and skillful boxing to open the 2017 schedule.
In the end, both deserved to have their hands raised as the three judges ruled it a majority draw. One judge scored it 114-112 for DeGale while the other two judges had a 113-113 draw. The Post also scored the bout 113-113.
Each fighter thought he had won. “He was doing a lot of running,” said Jack (20-1-3, 12 KOs). “I thought I won the fight. I finished stronger. His knockdown was a flash knockdown. I won the fight.”
DeGale (23-1-1, 14 KOs) thought he was victorious.
“I have huge respect for this guy. He showed he’s durable,” DeGale said. “But I landed the cleaner shots. I was moving my feet. I’m willing to do it again.”
The unification bout was only the eighth in the division’s history and was greeted by plenty of anticipation. Each was making the third defense of their title with the winner collecting an added belt. DeGale scored the first big blow late in the first round when a lead left hand landed flush, dropping Jack for the third time in his career.
Jack wasn’t damaged by the flash knockdown and survived the round. But Jack had trouble early finding the elusive DeGale. The Englishman was in constant motion, moving side to side and fighting primarily from a southpaw stance.
Badou Jack (left) and James DeGale raise their hands in victory after their bout was ruled a majority draw.Getty ImagesJack’s inability to cut off the ring allowed DeGale to move in and out while firing in quick bursts. Jack followed in pursuit, scoring to the body when DeGale got within range.
DeGale found more punching room in the seventh, landing a hard upper cut that slowed Jack. But Jack dislodged DeGale’s mouthpiece in the eighth and again in the ninth as the two exchanged wicked shots.
DeGale came out swinging in the 10th, landing a clubbing right midway through the round. The 11th was a war with the two exchanging blows throughout. The 12th was electric.
With the fight in the balance, DeGale was busy early as Jack tried to land the more damaging blows. Suddenly a right hand from Jack landed clean and DeGale went down. His face bruised, DeGale got up and somehow survived until the final bell as Jack swung with all his might.
Though DeGale wants a rematch, Jack said he has plans to move up to 175 pounds, but don’t be surprised if they meet again.
In other bouts, Gervonta “Tank” Davis became boxing’s youngest champion when he scored a seventh-round technical knockout over Jose Pedraza of Puerto Rico. Davis, 22, captured the IBF junior lightweight title by dropping Pedraza with a crushing right hook at 2:36 of the round.
Meanwhile, Amanda Serrano of Brooklyn (31-1-1, 23 KOs) kept her women’s WBO junior featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas of Mexico (35-10-1, 10 KOs). Immanuwel Aleem of Richmond, Va., (17-0-1, 10 KOs) earned a sixth-round TKO over Ievgen Khytrov of Brooklyn (14-1, 12 KOs) in a middleweight bout and Thomas Dulorme of Puerto Rico (24-2, 16 KOs) scored a sixth-round TKO over Brian Jones of Los Angeles (13-7, seven KOs).
