James DeGale vs Chris Eubank Jr result: Junior knocks DeGale down twice en route to one-sided win

Relive all the action as James DeGale and Chris Eubank Jr settled their longstanding rivalry at the 02 Arena

James DeGale v Chris Eubank Jr: Tale of the Tape

Chris Eubank Jr has left James DeGale facing retirement after securing the finest victory of his career via a unanimous decision in their IBO super middleweight title match in London.

He had previously lost his two biggest fights, against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, but improved sufficiently to win an occasion DeGale said would force the loser to retire.

At 29 and with so high a profile there was little risk of that for Eubank Jr, but after his third defeat and a career in which he became the first British Olympic gold medallist to win a world title DeGale - the loser by scores of 114-112, 115-112 and 117-109 - has been left with few lucrative options to pursue.

Relive all the live action below...

Please wait a moment for the blog to load...

[23 February 2019 18:34 · Tom Kershaw]

[23 February 2019 19:02 · Tom Kershaw]

Chris Eubank Jr:

This fight has been four or five years in the making and it’s going to be a painful lesson for him. I’ve been training for years to beat him and I know everything about him. James talks retirement, but that has never even come into my mind. I hope he can bring the best he can bring on the night and give the fans the most exciting and explosive fight that we possibly can. I just don’t think he has what it takes.

[23 February 2019 19:02 · Tom Kershaw]

James DeGale:

When he first turned professional he was calling me out, he’s very deluded. On 23 February I get my chance to deal with this guy good and proper and finish him. After Eubank has lost to me I don’t know where he is going to go. I’m calling this the retirement fight and whoever loses can knock it on the head, it’s game over. He’s got heart and big set of balls but that’s not going to be enough to beat me.

[23 February 2019 20:02 · Tom Kershaw]

[23 February 2019 20:10 · Tom Kershaw]

Not long before our first feature bout of the evening as Lee Selby takes on Omar Douglas.

[23 February 2019 20:26 · Tom Kershaw]

Lee Selby is preparing to walk to the ring. How will he fare having moved up two weight divisions? 

The Indepedent spoke to Lee earlier this week: 

 

[23 February 2019 20:31 · Tom Kershaw]

Here we go!

[23 February 2019 20:33 · Tom Kershaw]

Round 1:

Selby starts nicely with the jab, boxing from range, bouncing around the ring as he looks to keep the distance. 

Douglas is slightly ragged, charging in with little respect for Selby's power and is landing some nice hooks to the body.

[23 February 2019 20:36 · Tom Kershaw]

Round 1: 

A tight round that's hard to split but could be edged to the American. Selby is landing clean punches but they're having little effect to deter Douglas from coming forward.

[23 February 2019 20:39 · Tom Kershaw]

Round 2:

A nasty cut has opened up above the eye of Lee Selby! It's in exactly same place he sustained the injury against Josh Warrington and he's in trouble. Douglas, enlivened by the blood, continues to throw himself forward and that's another round to the American.