By Keith Idec

Chris Eubank Jr. just might’ve fulfilled his promise to send James DeGale into retirement.

The 29-year-old super middleweight demonstrated his improvement throughout a thorough 12-round victory over the former IBF super middleweight champ Saturday night at O2 Arena in London. Eubank boxed much better in previous big fights against a lesser version of DeGale than once existed, scored two knockdowns and overcame a point deduction to win a unanimous decision in this British grudge match.

The scores were closer than the action suggested – 114-112, 115-112 and 117-109 – but Eubank obviously beat a former champion who was reluctant to engage with a younger opponent and harder puncher.

Despite DeGale’s age and struggles with injuries during recent years, this win was the biggest of Eubank’s seven-year pro career. Prior to his victory Saturday night, Eubank (28-2, 21 KOs) was widely viewed as an underachiever more famous for his last name than what he had accomplished in the ring.

In his first two domestic showdowns, Eubank lost a split decision to eventual WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders and a unanimous decision to George Groves, then the WBA super middleweight champ.

Eubank’s father, a two-division world champion, is one of the most respected fighters in British boxing history. Eubank Jr. won the IBO 168-pound championship and put himself in position to take on other super middleweight champions.

“I’m back where I need to be, on top of the food chain,” Eubank Jr. said following his win. “And now I’m coming for all the other belts in the super middleweight division.”

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Brighton’s Eubank wasn’t surprised London’s DeGale didn’t engage with him too often in 36 minutes of action.

“I knew that he was gonna come in there and run, and use his boxing ability,” Eubank said. “I’ve been working a lot on my jab. I tried to get off with it as much as I could. He’s a very slick southpaw. It’s hard to train for a man like that, but you know, the game plan worked. The things we worked on in the gym, I put ‘em into effect. Smart pressure, not getting too ahead of myself and going in there, picking my shots and choosing the time to attack. And I thought I did the right job.”

The 33-year-old DeGale (25-3-1, 15 KOs) lost for the second time in three fights. American underdog Caleb Truax stunned him by winning a 12-round majority decision in their December 2017 bout in London.

The 2008 Olympic gold medalist came back to top Truax in their immediate rematch April 7 in Las Vegas. DeGale gave up the IBF super middleweight title he won back from Truax last summer, rather than making a mandatory defense against Jose Uzcategui, then the IBF’s interim champion.

DeGale acknowledged that he’ll at least contemplate retirement following another loss.

“I’ve left my mark in boxing,” DeGale said. “I’ve done everything – Olympic gold, two world titles. Chris performed well. Tough, strong. He’s earned it. He’s a good prospect, but … I didn’t do enough. When you’re in there and you’ve got someone like Chris on you, throwing wild punches, punches you don’t even see that clipped me and dropped me, but I’m gonna have to go back and watch it. But listen, I didn’t do enough.”

Eubank tried his best to knock out DeGale throughout the 12th round. He landed several vicious body and head shots during that three-minute period.

DeGale spent much of the 12th round moving and holding, and he survived until the final bell.

Alexander deducted a point from Eubank for body slamming DeGale to the canvas 53 seconds into the 11th round. Eubank blasted DeGale with a pair of right uppercuts earlier in the 11th round.

A crushing left hook by Eubank buckled DeGale’s knees with 25 seconds remaining in the 10th round. Eubank attacked DeGale, chased him to the other side of the ring and eventually forced DeGale’s glove to touch the canvas.

That marked the second knockdown Eubank scored in the fight and the third knockdown of DeGale’s career. The bell sounded to end the 10th round a couple seconds after DeGale reached his feet.

Eubank caught DeGale with a left hook that made the former champion hold him early in the ninth round. DeGale tried to slip and counter Eubank, but he didn’t land many clean punches in those three minutes.

Eubank’s heavier hands forced DeGale to hold him and move away toward the end of the ninth.

Eubank went to the canvas due to an entanglement in the eighth round. Later in the eight, he made DeGale retreat by landing a left and a right as DeGale moved backward.

Two right hands by Eubank made DeGale hold when there were about 45 seconds to go in the seventh round. DeGale switched to a right-handed stance moments later and fended off an aggressive Eubank for the remainder of the round.

A short, counter right hand by Eubank clipped DeGale about 50 seconds into the sixth round. Another right hand by Eubank backed up DeGale just before the halfway mark of the sixth round.

Alexander called for timeout with 50 seconds to go in the fifth round following an accidental clash of heads.

A low left hand by DeGale caused a brief break in the action in the fourth round, so that Eubank could recover. A straight left hand by DeGale later in that round connected directly in the middle of Eubank’s face.

Eubank came back toward the end of the fourth, when his straight right hand knocked DeGale into the ropes.

A hard left hook by Eubank knocked DeGale into the ropes, which held him up about 45 seconds into the second round. Eubank blasted a vulnerable DeGale with a right cross several seconds later, a shot that caused DeGale’s right knee to touch the canvas.

DeGale appeared OK once the action resumed following just the second knockdown of his 10-year career. Moments before the knockdown, a clash of heads opened a small cut around Eubank’s right eye.

DeGale landed a left hand early in the first round that caused Eubank to hold. An accidental clash of heads caused a cut around DeGale’s right eye in the first round as well.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.