DeGALE PRETTY BUOYED BY FLOYD TRIP James DeGale will head to Las Vegas at the end of July to spar and train with Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Olympic gold medalist and his trainer Jim McDonnell met Mayweather during the American's public workout in London last month when the idea was agreed. Once DeGale has met Irishman Ciaran Healey at the MEN Arena on July 18, he will head to America as part of a summer tour that could also include sessions with Ronald "Winky" Wright and Jermain Taylor. But it is the prospect of facing the brilliant Mayweather, unbeaten in 39 fights and the pound for pound king until his aborted retirement in 2007, that really excites DeGale. "We've got a few options, including training with Mayweather in Vegas. I'll get good quality sparring and that's what I need," he said. "To be in the gym with Floyd will be unbelievable. Floyd is one of my favourite fighters ever. "He's a boxer who can dig deep when he needs to. Mayweather is a proper showman - I love his attitude. He has all the skills. "If I'm half the fighter he is I'll be cool." McDonnell believes sparring with top Americans such as Mayweather will accelerate DeGale's progress through the professional ranks. "We're going to use the summer vacation as part of James' learning curve. All we've go to do with Mayweather is finalise the details," he said. "We introduced James to Floyd at the Peacock Gym last month and told him he was an Olympic gold medalist. "We reminded Floyd that he'd only won a bronze medal in Atlanta in 1996! The connections are made and Floyd is interested in training with him. "We're going Stateside for James' education and will travel around, starting with Mayweather. "We also have an option to train with Winky Wright in Miami and Jermain Taylor at Gleason's Gym in New York. We want James to train and spar with world champions. "The famous American trainer Emmanuel Steward once told me the best way to develop a young fighter is to get the best possible sparring and that's what we're trying to do." DeGale was supposed to be meeting Healey, the former Irish middleweight champion, at the O2 Arena on Saturday but the bill was postponed by three weeks when Andreas Kotelnik pulled out of his clash with Amir Khan because of a mouth infection. The setback has cost an angry DeGale his hometown debut in London and left him £2500 out of pocket. "It was so frustrating. I was peaking and began tapering down when the call came. I was angry," he said. "I missed out on money and a holiday that I had to cancel so I'll have to take my frustrations out on Ciaran Healey. "The holiday had cost me £2500 and I couldn't get any of the money back. Ciaran is really going to get hit now. "It was supposed to be my homecoming at the O2 and I'm a bit upset that's not going to happen."
I agree it make sense and he would benefit a lot from it i always feel the young prospects need to be exposed to us market and ways early before the go there for world title fights.
It's a good move and much needed really. I know the Gold medal and all, but even with that quick knockout he just had he badly needs to tighten up his shots. Too looping and wide, begging for a counter from someone with quicker hands. It's early days yet though. Let's hope he doesn't just pick up any more trash-talking tips, shooting his mouth off seems to be an art he's already mastered and it's the ring stuff that needs the work
He was very respectful in the article "If I'm half the fighter he is I'll be cool." which is a move forward from the normal bollocks he spouts. This is a great move for DeGale and an experience that he should enjoy every minute of...being around the best can only be a good thing.
I'm a fan of his, hoping he does well and the experience should be a fantastic one for him. Still a young lad, wouldn't worry about the mouth, lots of boxers have them.
hes not gonna fight in the US. Remember he is on big money so he needs to fight in places where TV will show and people will showup to watch.
dick head vs dick head................ 2 similar gobby ****s, he'll come back here throwin £5 notes into the crowd at york hall.....fiddy cent will stick a cap in his ass.
Hopefully he'll come a better boxer....I heard he's gonna be visiting Winky and Taylor...can anyone confirm if this is true or is it just Floyd. Hopefully he'll visit the Kronk gym...those boys will give him a big wake up call, might even send him running back to the u.k with his tale between his legs
