In A Year With Some Notable Upsets One Stands Apart

The term upset according to Merriam Webster has several meanings to it from (a) to trouble mentally or emotionally (b) to throw into disorder (c) invalidate (d) to defeat unexpectedly. Itis this last one that is most frequently associated with unexpected outcomes in boxing or sports in general.

In a year that has seen some unlikely finishes it’s safe to say Caleb Truax’s victory over James DeGale at Copper Box Arena is the most unexpected. In one defeat of DeGale, Truax covered damn near every meaning ofthe word upset.

It’s pretty evident the loss troubled DeGale mentally andemotionally. He told everybody that would listenfor a few days following the loss he was probably done with boxing, finished. He has since changed his stance and now seeks a rematch but he was definitely “troubled” initially.

Throw into disorder? Check. Prior to December 9th most pundits felt DeGale was the top guy at 168lbs following Badou Jack’s move northto 175. DeGale had mentioned how he was coming for fellow champion David Benavidez all the way up to the Truax fight. Now? Well let’s just say there’s a guy in Minnesota that disagrees.

Invalidate? See Above

To defeat unexpectedly? Check, Check and Double Check! To say this loss was unexpected is a massive understatement in the biggest way. One would have to go allthe way backto Buster Douglas’s win over Mike Tysonto find larger odds in a world title fight than the 41-1 at which Truax overcome.

Sure there were some big upsets this year like Jeff Horn over Manny Pacquiao, Sadam Ali over MiguelCotto or Tony Bellew over David Haye but when put each under a microscope there’s a way to say “well yeah”. I mean Pac is getting up in age, plus it was a controversial decision in Horn’s hometown. Cotto suffered a torn bicep midway through his fight against Ali. Haye? Well we all know what happened there.

When it comesto Truax’s win over DeGale you can put the microscope on, in or around this fight and this simply wasn’t noticeable or expected by anyone, maybe even including Team Truax. He went to the UK and done what people said can’t be done right? He won a decision in the champions backyard and done it convincingly.

Well done Mr. Truax, well done sir.