• Super-middleweight

DeGale is '100% me' after shaking injury

ESPN staff
February 26, 2013
James DeGale is finally over his injury troubles © PA Photos
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James DeGale says he is "100% me" again after making a recovery from a troublesome knee injury thanks to the England football team's physio.

DeGale has shaken off his niggle in good time as he is five weeks away from defending his WBC silver belt against Argentine Pablo Farias on March 23.

DeGale's knee problem, which he picked up when knocking it against a table, limited him to bending down to only 30% of what he should be able to.

But it did not affect his career record as he won the three bouts he contested whilst carrying the injury.

But the quality of his performance did suffer, as was evident when he let Fulgencio Zuniga last the distance in December despite being the clearly-superior boxer.

"I don't like making excuses but for the past year and a half since probably the [Cristian] Sanavia fight I have been boxing, training, sparring, running with a bad knee which has been giving me heaps of problems," DeGale told Henessey Sports.

"But that's all sorted now, I went to [Gary] Lewin the physio for the England football team and he sorted it out so that's all sorted and I have got no excuses.

"I just feel better in training, I want to get in the ring and fight because you'll see 100% me, instead of 70% me where I am on the ropes and I can't bend my knee so I have to stand there with my hands by my head.

"That will not happen now, I can get angles now and I can use my feet a lot better so my next fight in March you will see a better me."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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