Some comebacks never go out of style, and boxing has seen plenty of them over the years. The latest former champion to reverse his retirement decision is 40-year-old Briton James DeGale, who will make his return to the ring on September 26 in Wolverhampton. DeGale will face 45-year-old Marcus Portman, but he is hoping the comeback will eventually earn him a lucrative showdown with one of today’s crossover boxing stars, such as Jake Paul.
A former European champion and two-time super middleweight world champion, DeGale last fought as a professional boxer in 2019, when he suffered a one-sided unanimous decision defeat to Chris Eubank Jr., being knocked down twice in the process. At the time, most experts and insiders felt it was clear that his best days were behind him.
More recently, the British fighter returned to competition in bare-knuckle boxing. However, after just one fight—a points victory over Matt Floyd in 2025—he changed his mind and decided to return to his first love, traditional boxing.
DeGale is under no illusions. He knows he is no longer capable of competing with today’s world champions. Nevertheless, he hopes to secure a financially rewarding fight. Here’s what he told TalkSport:
“I can’t go out how I went out against Eubank. I’ve stayed in shape, and after Floyd, I want to have one more in boxing. Boxing has changed since I left. There is Misfits, and the Saudis have come in. My world title days are done but there are fights out there like Jake Paul, Darren Till, Ty Mitchell, KSI and Tommy Fury.”