James DeGale has had his worst fears confirmed about trainer Jim McDonnell thanks to the big freeze – and discovered his masochism knows no match.
While pampered Premiership footballers put their feet up midweek with a string of big games postponed because of the snow and ice, Olympic gold medallist DeGale was doing his early morning roadwork in sub-zero temperatures in preparation for his London homecoming on Frank Warren’s Night of the Champions show live on Sky Sports..
And with the cold snap worsening over the weekend, DeGale will be out on the roads once again whatever the weather may bring.
“I’d heard that Jimmy was a psycho trainer before I went to his gym,” said southpaw sensation DeGale, who will make his London debut on February 13 at Wembley Arena, just a stone’s throw from where he was born.
“Things have been tough in my first year as a professional, but the work I’ve put in during the last few days has been something else.
“Tuesday night we had loads of snow in north London, and I thought on Wednesday morning I’d get a lie in because there was no way I could get to the gym.
“But I was woken up at 5am by Jimmy, who’d battled the blizzards to make it round to my house to make sure I did my roadwork.
“And we were out running in the dark with the snow coming down all around us even though I’d have been better off in ice skates than running shoes.
“This weekend he’s got more runs in the snow planned – even if the temperature drops to -20.
“I hear that it’s colder here than in Antarctica at the moment, but that’s not stopping Jimmy, and by the time I get to fight at Wembley it’s going to be a case of The Iceman Cometh!
“The man is a complete psycho when it comes to training, but I’ll be thanking him when all the hard work pays off and I become a world champion.”
DeGale, still only 23, will have his sixth fight at Wembley Arena having won all of his first five outings as a professional, three by stoppage.
Night of the Champions features the exciting heavyweight showdown between British heavyweight champion Danny Williams and Commonwealth champion Sam Sexton; Kevin Mitchell’s WBO Intercontinental Lightweight title defence; Kell Brook’s WBO Intercontinental Welterweight title challenge; Derek Chisora versus Matt Skelton for the Vacant English Heavyweight Championship; The Olympians James DeGale, Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders; plus hot prospects Vinny Mitchell and Liam, Michael and Ryan Walsh.
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I’LL BATTER BRANCALION WORSE THAN BERLUSCONI!
Welsh hot-shot Nathan Cleverly says he’ll give Italy’s Antonio Brancalion a worse beating than Silvio Berlusconi after their fight for the European light-heavyweight title was postponed.
Cleverly was meant to tackle Brancalion in Italy at the end of the month after his rival’s camp won purse bids for the fight.
But it’s now fallen through, leaving Cleverly fuming.
“I sacrificed my Christmas for this joker,” said Cleverly.
“It’s obvious that Brancalion is running scared, and his team are doing everything they can to make sure this fight doesn’t happen.
“I’ve spoken to my promoter Frank Warren and he has put forward a complaint to the EBU Championship Committee.
“At least that’s a bit of good news and hopefully the fight will take place over here, but I’m mad at Brancalion and I’m going to teach him a lesson if he finally has enough bottle to face me.
“I’ll give him a beating far worse than the one Silvio Berlusconi got recently when I finally get my hands on him.”
Hot prospect Cleverly, currently the British and Commonwealth champion, is riding high in the IBF and WBO rankings, and is also in the top 15 for the WBA and WBC.
The Cardiff University student, still only 22, is aiming to break into world class in 2010, and wanted to use his fight against Brancalion as a springboard for success.
“I want the European title to add to my British and Commonwealth crowns, so hopefully this fight comes off,” said the Welshman, unbeaten in 18 fights.
“But if it doesn’t I might just go straight after a world title instead. I’m ready to make the step up and be let off the leash.”
European Champ Luke Campbell Flies To LA To Train With Freddie Roach
As part of his preparations for the 2012 London Olympics European Bantamweight Champion Luke Campbell has left behind the cold, and the snow currently covering much of the UK, for the much warmer climes of Los Angeles to spend some time training with ‘Trainer of the Year’ Freddie Roach at his famous Wild Card Gym.
Speaking at Rooney’s Boxing Gym in London, where he dropped by to see his former Team GB head coach Terry Edwards MBE before heading to Heathrow for the transatlantic flight, Luke said. “It’s going to be a once in the lifetime experience. LA’s a great place, but going to Freddie Roach’s gym will be something extra special. Freddie is the best coach pro coach in the world. Hopefully I’ll learn something new, something different to take back with us.
It’s going to be a great learning experience. He has so many champions in his gym. It’ll be interesting to train alongside them, hopefully I’ll pick up a few of the techniques they’re doing.”
Luke, a two-time ABA Champion, made history by becoming the first British amateur boxer to secure a European title for 47 years, was crowned the Bantamweight (54kg) Champion at the European Championships in Liverpool in November 2008.
His path to glory was not an easy one. In the quarterfinal he faced and defeated the Moldovan Olympic bronze medal winner, Veaceslav Gojan, before progressing to the final after an excellent 4-1 points victory over Germany’s Denis Makarov. The quietly spoken 21 year old, from Hull, then secured the Bantamweight (54kg) title by defeating the highly experienced Bulgarian Detelin Dalakliev. Even more impressive was that this was his event debut.
The previous English boxer to win a European gold medal was Frankie Taylor, who won the Featherweight (57kg) title at the Belgrade Games, Yugoslavia in June 1961, also at the same event Melbourne Olympic Champion, Scotland’s Dick McTaggart, won gold in the (Lightweight) 60kg class.