The talented Briton, who won the Olympic gold medal in 2008, cited his win over Marco Periban as a comparison for their performances but was also sure Jack only accepted their fight on the back of a poor turn out by DeGale against Rogelio Medina back in April.
“If I’m being honest the only reason why this fight hasn’t happened quicker is because Badou Jack didn’t want it,” said DeGale.
“After the Bute fight he probably didn’t want it. And then after the Medina fight because I boxed rubbish because Medina went full rounds on me.
“Badou Jack has got lot of confidence, Leonard (Ellerbe)’s got a lot of confidence. (Floyd) Mayweather’s got a lot of confidence of him seeing me go twelve rounds and it was lackluster performance against Medina. But you shouldn’t take too much away from that. That’s what I’m trying to say. Don’t take too much away from me fighting Medina and performing like that.
Jack responded to DeGale by saying the following: “That is all a lie. But I’ve been ready since right after the fight, I told you guys, we could fight in June. I told you I’ve been waiting for Floyd and Leonard to let me know when the date is. I’ve been on Leonard every day for the whole summer.
“Like come on it’s been six, seven months I want to fight. You know what I’m saying? But whatever – whatever’s the case. If he was greedy about money, whoever’s fault it is we got the fight down right now. And, you know, I’m ready.
“I don’t care about old fights if he went 12 rounds with this guy and this guy. Me and DeGale have to fight so whatever happened in the past, it don’t matter. You know I lost,” he said, to which DeGale fired back with:
“And you went life and death with Periban. Life and death; I knocked him out in three rounds.”
