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Osseo's Caleb Truax loses rematch with James DeGale by unanimous decision

The Osseo boxer lost in a unanimous decision.

For the Minnesota Star Tribune
April 9, 2018 at 12:54AM
Minnesota native Caleb Truax, the current IBF super-middleweight champion, answered questions during a press conference promoting the return of boxing to the Armory in Minnesota. ] Shari L. Gross ï shari.gross@startribune.com Reusse column on the return of boxing to the Armory, featuring Caleb Truax and Jamal James. News conference at Armory features Truax and James. Need shots of both, together and separate. Also could use some shots of the new Armoy. This story will also be a look back at
Truax (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

LAS VEGAS – Rubber match, anyone? For now, everyone says yes.

James DeGale brought up the idea after he took back his IBF supermiddleweight belt from Osseo boxer Caleb Truax on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Truax, who had swiped the belt with a surprise victory in December in London, seconded.

"Absolutely," he said. "I gave him a rematch straight away, so why not do it again?"

Judges Robert Hoyle and Don Trella scored Saturday's fight 114-113 for DeGale. John McKaie scored it 117-110.

"I thought I did enough to win the fight, but I also thought I was pretty flat and didn't get my shots off like I wanted," said Truax (29-4-2, 18 knockouts). "I was just a little bit flat. I felt really good coming in, but I just couldn't get my shots off like the last fight. He never hurt me, but it is what it is."

DeGale improved to 24-2-1 with 14 knockouts.

"I'm just happy that I'm a two-time world champion and I got my IBF world title back," DeGale said. "Two-and-a-half years I had it and I lost it to Caleb. He embarrassed me, but we're back.

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"It feels great. But full credit to Caleb — he showed he can mix it with the top fighters."

DeGale opened the fight with plenty of confidence, winning the first two rounds as the aggressor, as Truax didn't land his first good shot until late in the second round. He then carried the momentum over to win the next four rounds. A vicious head butt in the third round opened a nasty gash near DeGale's right eye.

From there, Truax seemingly went away from the strategy that put him in control of the bout and began fighting tentatively while allowing DeGale to gain steam. With blood streaming down the right side of his face, and his eyesight from his right eye blurred, DeGale was able to land several shots to slow Truax.

Truax, who entered the fight as a more than 3-to-1 underdog, rebounded to win the 10th round, during which DeGale was deducted a point for a shoulder push.

The deduction helped Truax after falling behind, but DeGale was determined, using his experience to win the final two rounds by landing jabs and uppercuts, while sustaining the better energy.


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Caleb Truax, back to camera, bloodied James DeGale but lost a unanimous decision in an IBF super middleweight championship fight Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Truax lost the championship he had taken from DeGale in an earlier fight.
Mayweather Promotions/Chris Farina
Caleb Truax, back to camera, bloodied James DeGale but lost a unanimous decision in an IBF supermiddleweight championship fight Saturday at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Truax lost the championship he had taken from DeGale in an earlier fight. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
James DeGale regained his IBF super middleweight championship belt with a unanimous decision over reigning champion Caleb Truax on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.
Mayweather Promotions/Chris Farina
James DeGale said he was embarrassed by his loss to Truax in December in his native England, so he was understandably thrilled to regain his belt only four months later. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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