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JAMES DEGALE ON ANDRE DIRRELL CLASH: "THIS AIN'T GOING TO BE A BOXING MATCH...I'M TAKING THE TITLE"

By Press Release | May 19, 2015
JAMES DEGALE ON ANDRE DIRRELL CLASH:

"I'm not going to let him rest. He thinks this is going to be a boxing match. Well, this ain't. I'm telling him now. This ain't going to be a boxing match. I'm going in there and I'm taking the title. I'm taking it...The way I've been in the gym training, sparring, running, I honestly think you're going to see the performance of my career so far. My last couple of fights after my injuries have been sorted and I just got better and better and I think this one is going to top it and winning my world title as well and making history," stated super middleweight contender James DeGale, who talked about his upcoming clash this Saturday with fellow super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell. Check it out!

James DeGale: Yeah, my time is here. My time is here, next Saturday. I've trained extremely hard and you're in for a treat because you're going to watch two very talented hungry fighters next Saturday fight it out for a world title. I honestly think it's going to be a hell of a fight, one I'm confident of winning. So, fasten your seatbelts, man. It should be good.

Q: This is for James. This is your first fight in the United States and also, this is the first time a lot of people are going to get to see you because you're going to be on national television. What are you expecting in terms of the energy and what it's going to be like performing in a completely new audience?

J. DeGale: Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. I'm used to it as well because obviously back in England I'm promoted by Matchroom, a well-known commercial company. So, I box on big shows in front of 10,000-20,000 people. It should be good. They have a lot of Irish and English over there. So, I should have some good support and I'm looking forward to it.

Q: Let me follow-up with another question. There was a time that you considered retiring from the sport and becoming a personal trainer. Can you talk about that a little bit and looking back, are you glad you made the right decision to continue to do boxing?

J. DeGale: Yeah. It's pretty simple. I was going through a hard time with my promoter at the time and I was a bit depressed because I wasn't getting my chances and I wasn't getting the right fights and I boxed on small shows. I basically was a bit depressed and I couldn't motivate myself properly. So, yeah, that was the way it was and then I made the change to Matchroom and things have just gone from pretty bad to really great.

Obviously, my last two performances speak for themself. I boxed Brandon Gonzales, an undefeated American, a confident American. He come over to America and I boxed him front of 80,000 people and knocked him out in four rounds.

Then four months later, I boxed Periban. If you don't know Marco Antonio Periban, he boxed Sakio Bika for the world title and lost on a split decision and I knocked him out in three rounds. So, I'm confident. I'm feeling good, and I'm motivated very well at the minute.

Q: How does it feel to be the first Brit on the verge of making some boxing history?

J. DeGale: It feels great, but I need to stay focused and keep my eye out on the prize. That's what I have to do. But, you know what? A lot of people say I'm obsessed about making history, about becoming the first Olympic gold medalist from Great Britain to win a genuine world title. But you know what? I am. I am because that's what drives me and that's what makes me train hard every day. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q: Okay, and you touched on a little bit there. I mean not so long ago you were boxing in front of a couple of hundred people at the shopping center in Blue Water and now you're making noise on TV in America. How does that feel, the difference?

J. DeGale: Well, it's fantastic. Sure a lot of credit has to go to Eddie Hearn. I'm a buzz fire. I like the big audience. I like the big lights. I'm just feeling real relaxed, chilled and ready to perform next Saturday. I'm buzzing. I really can't wait; just being in America and knowing that I'm going to make my debut next Saturday in front of millions of Americans and back in the UK as well. It's going to be fantastic.

Q: James, tell us why you think you're confident that you're going to be able to win this fight?

J. DeGale: Momentum is a big thing. Look at my last two performances against good, quality opponents and look his last three. Listen, I come from good pedigree and so does Andre. We're good, quality, young fighters. But I just think overall, I'm better. I think he struggles. He doesn't like it when it gets hard in there. He's a competent fighter, but he likes it when he's dictating the pace and he's on the front foot.

Well listen, I'm not going to let him rest. He thinks this is going to be a boxing match. Well, this ain't. I'm telling him now. This ain't going to be a boxing match. I'm going in there and I'm taking the title. I'm taking it. I'm ripping it away from him.

Q: Do you think you're a really improved fighter? I know that the loss that you had to Groves was very controversial, but how much do you think you've improved since that fight with Groves?

J. DeGale: It's like night and day. Listen, and another thing, I was in this for two years as well. I had two operations on my groin. So, I couldn't throw my shots with any power. I couldn't run the ring properly. Even in the fight at Wembley in front of 80,000 I wasn't 100% right. Even against Periban I wasn't 100% right. Now I'm 100% right, fully healthy, fully focused and mentally right. So, you're going to see me step up again next Saturday.

Q: James, you mentioned about being a buzz fighter and this is the biggest stage, the biggest pressure you've ever been under. So, does this mean we're going to see your best ever performance?

J. DeGale: I honestly do. The way I've been in the gym training, sparring, running, I honestly think you're going to see the performance of my career so far. My last couple of fights after my injuries have been sorted and I just got better and better and I think this one is going to top it and winning my world title as well and making history.

Q: But, do you deal with the pressure and does that inspire you more?

J. DeGale: I thrive on it. You know me. I thrive in it. I'm just looking forward to it. As I say, it's my debut as a professional in America. So, I'm buzzing right now. You don't understand. I'm just really looking forward to it.

Q: One for you, James, quickly. You're in Florida now. Can you tell us where you are and how's it going?

J. DeGale: Yeah, no, I'm in Miami. I've been training here for the past week. So, we climatized and we adjusted and we're ready to go.

* * *

Tickets for the return of big-time boxing to Boston, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are priced at $250, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets will be available at www.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com www.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.AgganisArena.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AndreDirrell, @JamesDeGale1, @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @NBCSports and @AgganisArena and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys and www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxing. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #PBConNBC

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