Badou Jack knocked a superstar’s teeth right out of his mouth in a truly magnificent world championship fight.
Throughout his career, ‘The Ripper’ has displayed an incredible defense, with his high guard comfortably protecting him from the vicious shots thrown in his direction.
But on January 14, 2017, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, USA, everything changed when the warrior was sent hurtling towards the canvas inside the very first round.
Knowing he needed to produce something special, Jack rose to his feet and bit down on his gumshield.
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Badou Jack knocked James DeGale’s teeth out
Badou Jack and James DeGale gave it absolutely everything in a unification bout for the WBC and IBF super middleweight world titles.
Following a dramatic opener, the Swede attempted to grow into the contest, but in the early portion of the bout, he struggled to deal with the Englishman’s skills.
However, as the fight rolled on, Jack was able to utilize his physicality to wear his rival down.
But rather than give in, DeGale gave as good as he got, with the pair trading leather in a thrilling affair.
Going into the twelfth round, Jack knew he needed to finish strong. With the fight balanced on a knife’s edge, the WBC champion landed an uppercut to send the IBF King hurtling towards the canvas.
Refusing to give up, DeGale got back to his feet, with the icons exchanging bombs until the last bell.
With both having produced exceptional performances, the fight was ruled a draw.
However, while the Englishman got to walk away with his belt, the same can’t be said about all his teeth.
Badou Jack defeated Noel Mikaelian in Canelo Alvarez vs William Scull co-main event
While it’s now approaching a decade since that night against DeGale, Jack is still fighting at the top level.
On May 3, the legend cemented his status as the WBC cruiserweight champion against Noel Mikaelian.
Before Canelo Alvarez and William Scull made their way to the ring, Jack edged past his opponent in a razor-close contest.
He’ll now likely target unification bouts with Jai Opetaia and Gilberto Ramirez.