James “Chunky” DeGale inspires What’s On 4 Me visitors!

James has overcome obstacles with steely determination to reach the pinnacle of his career at a very young age. His achievements at such a young age take some men a lifetime!

James DeGale – The future’s bright! The future’s Chunky!

Nicknamed ‘Chunky’, DeGale started boxing aged 10 when his father and grandfather took him along to his first boxing club, Trojan.

His career took off with flying colours as he won numerous junior championships.

In 2006, DeGale competed in his first Commonwealth Games where he had to settle for bronze at after he was out-pointed 13-17 by Australia's eventual gold medallist Jarrod Fletcher.

James “Chunky” DeGale represented Great Britain at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the Middleweight boxing event.

There had been no British Middleweight Olympic gold Champion since Chris Finnegan, who won the title back in 1968 (Stockholm).

James, an underdog who the bookies had favoured at 80-1, went on to become an Olympic Champion winning Gold on the 23^rd August!

In the quarterfinals, he beat a former Olympic gold medalist from Athens (Bakhtiyar Artayev) and in the semi-final once again beat the Irishman Darren Sutherland (prior to this latest meeting the boxers had fought five times with Sutherland winning four and DeGale only one). In the final DeGale won, a scrappy and bad tempered affair against the Cuban Emilio Correa who was deducted two points in the first round for biting DeGale's shoulder.

After his success in Beijing, he had to make the life changing decision whether to go professional or defend his title in the London 2012 Olympics.

James believed the opportunity should be available to one of the many up and coming hopefuls waiting in the wings and, therefore, on the 2^nd December 2008 he agreed a lucrative deal with world renowned boxing promoter Frank Warren to become professional.

On 28 February 2009 DeGale made his professional debut against Georgia boxer Vepkhia Tchilaia, winning the fight on points 40-36

A real Professional in the world of Boxing, James fights with flair and precision, making his fights engaging to watch. His training camp his headed by one of Great Britain’s top coaches, Jim McDonnell. Jim is intent on bringing out the best in James, which is evident in his current Pro record.

To add to his accolades, James was awarded an MBE by the Queen in the 2009 New Years Honours List for his services to sport.

James made it his mission to win a Title by the end of 2010. His fight for the British Super-Middleweight Title Challenge on Saturday 11^th December - James DeGale V Paul Smith, at the Echo Arena, Liverpool - saw James rise to the challenge!! Olympic gold medallist James DeGale continued his inexorable rise with a ninth-round stoppage of Paul Smith to claim the British super-middleweight title in only his ninth fight.

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