Boxing has seen a number of past world champions make shocking returns in recent years.
In July, Manny Pacquiao made a comeback at the age of 46 after a four-year absence, as he challenged Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight title.
There were concerns for the Filipino icon heading in, but he managed to make it a competitive affair as the bout ended in a majority decision draw.
The same couldn’t be said for heavyweight legend Mike Tyson last November though, when at the age of 58 he competed in his first professional contest for nearly two decades against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Sadly Tyson looked a shadow of his former self, as Paul claimed a unanimous decision win over the man that still remains the youngest world heavyweight champion in history.
Another ex-world champion is now set to return to the combat sports world, after it was announced that James DeGale will compete in bareknuckle boxing, as he will go up against Australian boxer Matt Floyd at BKFC 81 in Manchester on September 27.
DeGale won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and then went on to become a two-time super-middleweight world champion, first claiming the IBF belt at 168lbs with a victory over Andre Dirrell in May 2015.
A surprise defeat to Caleb Truax in December 2017 saw the Brit lose his title, before he regained it with a victory in their immediate rematch four months later.
DeGale’s final fight came in February 2019 when he suffered a loss to Chris Eubank Jr, but he will now return after nearly seven years away to compete in bareknuckle boxing.
