ON this day a decade ago, August 23 2008, James DeGale won Olympic gold. It had been eight years since GB had last had a boxer at the top of the podium at an Olympic Games, though in later years a gold rush followed, with Nicola Adams, Luke Campbell and Anthony Joshua all triumphing at the Olympics.
For DeGale it was the start of a journey that would see him become the first boxer to win Olympic gold for GB and then win a professional world title. โWhere has the 10 years gone?โ he wonders. โItโs been a decade since my Olympic gold medal. I remember turning pro and Jim [McDonnell, his trainer] saying your career goes like that, literally. I donโt know where the 10 years has gone. Itโs been a good journey, thereโs been some ups and downs.โ
โIโm a 22 year old boy from Harlesden, Iโm thinking whatโs happening here. We flew back, we had a big media day when we landed. I couldnโt deal with it, cameras shoved in your face, interviews, everyone wanted five minutes of your time. I wasnโt used to it. Even as an amateur, I boxed for Great Britain [but] I wasnโt one of the golden boys, it was Frankie Gavin, David Price. They got more media attention,โ he said of the moment his life changed. โTurning pro and getting booed on my professional debut and then turning everything around.โ
He won the British title early on his career but would lose to arch-rival George Groves. โI lost to Groves and that next year and a half, two years, the rebuild, the building back up, it was difficult. And I changed promoters, I was boxing on Channel Five. People were giving me stick for that. I was boxing on terrestrial telly and people were still giving me stick. Signed with Eddie Hearn, had a couple of fights, quality fights with Brandon Gonzalez, looked quality there and then [Marco Antonio] Periban,โ he recalled.
He worked his way to a mandatory position and fought Andre Dirrell for the IBF super-middleweight title in Boston. โI got my chance. I got a chance against a real good fighter. It werenโt just someone, it was a quality fighter. Someone thatโs been in the ring with [Carl] Froch. He had an argument that he beat Froch. Abraham, heโs been in and a beat a lot of good quality fighters. Good pedigree, Andre Dirrell and I probably donโt get the credit there, beating Andre Dirrell for the world title,โ DeGale said. โThis Brit was going abroad and heโs fighting for a world title. Our Olympic champion, heโs going away, heโs ready, heโs fit, heโs going to do it for our country.โ
He won the title craved, and something more. โPeople started giving me respect โ โheโs cocky but heโs goodโ โ was after I won my world title,โ DeGale said. โPeople say Iโm arrogant. Itโs confidence. Iโm confident in my own ability.
โI honestly do believe on my day people will find it hard to beat me.โ
โI always knew that I was going to be world champion. Thatโs every boyโs dream, becoming world champion. Those four world titles, everyone dreams about lifting one of them,โ he continued. โThat night in Boston was great.โ
He returned to London and was just watching at the O2, sitting ringside, the camera focused on him. The arena erupted with cheers. He had gone from being booed on his debut to being celebrated in his hometown. โI was sitting there and they put the camera on me and there was a massive roar around the arena,โ he smiled. โI was like what? This is for me?
โI was surprised. I didnโt realise that the camera was on me. The boxing public can sometimes be cruel, a bit harsh. But I think deep down they respect me as a fighter and what Iโve done and what Iโve achieved.โ
There were further twists in the tale. After a sequence of hard fights in America he lost his title in a homecoming bout in London, only to become a two-time world champion when he took a revenge win over Caleb Truax in Las Vegas.
The story isnโt over yet. DeGaleโs next move will be announced soon. โIโm normal boy from north west London. Harlesden, the ghetto, 15 years ago that was the knife capital of London,โ he said. โIโve done well, Iโve got a good family around me and Iโm happy with it. Iโm happy with what Iโve done.โ
Donโt miss todayโs issue of Boxing News magazine. John Dennen speaks to every member of the 2008 GB boxing team on the 10th anniversary of the Beijing Olympic Games.