James DeGale looks forward to his professional debut

Olympic hero James DeGale says he is relishing the intensity of turning professional and working with trainer Jim McDonnell. The 23-year-old middleweight, who won gold in Beijing, will make his pro debut against Georgian fighter Vepkhia Tchilaia a week on Saturday at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena. DeGale wants to become the first British gold medallist to win a world title and avoid becoming a high-profile failure like Audley Harrison. "I'm not Audley. He wanted to do everything himself and you can't do that," DeGale said. "I have an excellent team - Frank Warren (his promoter), my family, Jim McDonnell." The Londoner has embraced the increased demands of professional boxing, with McDonnell putting him through gruelling training exercises. "The first two weeks of training, I wondered if this guy is serious. I stuck at it and I'm loving it now," he said. "I've been getting up at 6am, running for two hours before training in Epping Forest, doing press-ups and sit-ups in the snow like a Rocky film. It's mad stuff that people don't see. It's the intensity, everything is longer but that will suit me." DeGale is determined to respond to Joe Calzaghe's recent comments that Olympians may not have the required hunger after becoming 'instant' millionaires. "Joe is one of my favourite boxers but that is mad," DeGale said. "He should understand. The hunger will never go." If he reaches his goal of challenging for a professional world title within three years it will vindicate his decision to turn pro instead of being one of the big attractions when the Olympics come to the capital. "By next summer I'll be British champion and by 2012 I'll be knocking on the door of a world title or boxing for a world title," he said. "That would be perfect. A world title would top my life off."

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ITN | February 17, 2009

Tags:. .knocking. .gold. .olympics. .jim. .hero