DeGale comments about trainer

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.

Tickets priced at £40, £50, £75, £100 and £150, are available from:

See Tickets
0871 220 0260
www.seetickets.com

Wembley Arena
0844 815 0815
www.wembleyarena.co.uk

Danny Williams v Sam Sexton is exclusively live and in high definition on Sky Sports on Saturday 13 February from 10pm. The event titled ‘Night of the Champions’ also includes: Kevin Mitchell, Kell Brook and James DeGale.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2010
LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA

THE SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF GREAT BRITAIN
Paul Smith v Tony Dodson

THE VACANT WBA INTERNATIONAL LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Tony Bellew v TBA

Plus: Stephen Smith, Liams Smith, Ronnie Heffron, Thomas Costello, Joe Selkirk, Tobias Webb.