Ex-world Champion Degale To Make Bare-knuckle Bow

Former world champion James DeGale will make his bare-knuckle fighting debut connected 27 September successful Manchester.

DeGale, 39, retired from boxing successful 2019 aft a unanimous determination conclusion by Chris Eubank Jr.

He will return to combat sports against Australian Matt Floyd connected nan Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship paper astatine nan AO Arena.

"UK I'm back. This clip nan gloves are off," nan Londoner wrote connected Instagram.

"Everyone asking what type you're getting... 7 years out, assemblage healed, mind crisp - it's nan champion 1 yet. Demolition occupation pending."

DeGale became nan first British boxer to triumph some an Olympic golden badge and a master world title.

He won middleweight golden astatine nan 2008 Beijing Olympics and claimed nan IBF super-middleweight title successful May 2015 pinch a points triumph complete American Andre Dirrell.

Nicknamed 'Chunky', he mislaid nan loop successful December 2017 to Caleb Truax but regained it successful a rematch successful April 2018 earlier vacating it later that year.

After being outpointed by chap Briton Eubank Jr successful what was his 3rd profession loss, DeGale said he was "not nan combatant I erstwhile was" and announced his status soon after.

Floyd, 36, has a master boxing grounds of 15 wins and 2 losses. The Perth-born combatant and erstwhile pack member, who served clip successful prison, was reportedly successful talks to look Briton Tommy Fury earlier this year.