DeGale: Not Everyone Will Like You, Look at Mayweather

James DeGale admits he has ditched his brash and boisterous image in a bid to clinch the IBF world super middleweight title and win the hearts of the British public.

DeGale takes on American Andre Dirrell in Boston on May 23 for the IBF belt vacated by Carl Froch earlier this year.

The 29-year-old is also hoping to make history by becoming the first Briton to win both a world title and an Olympic gold medal, seven years after he triumphed in Beijing.

A surprise defeat to George Groves in 2011 remains the only blot on DeGale's career record, but the Harlesden fighter insists he has changed in and out of the ring since that loss and is ready to become a world champion.

"Have I grown up now? Absolutely, 100 per cent, you've seen me grow up," DeGale said.

"I'm 29 now. I've got more important things to think about than being stupid or cussing someone.

"I wasn't arrogant before, I was confident in my own ability. I knew how good I was and I knew how far I was going.

"But now I'm 29 years of age. You forget that when I boxed George Groves I was 24 or 25. I was a little bit carried away with myself.

"Now all I care about is achieving, money, and providing for my family."

DeGale continued: "People say I'm obsessed about this 'Olympic champion making history' stuff. I am obsessed. I want to be the first Olympic gold medallist from Great Britain to become a world champion.

"Look at the list of fighters who have done that from around the world: Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, Pernell Whitaker, Lennox Lewis. It's crazy."

DeGale looked in impressive shape at his final media workout on Thursday, having completed 16 weeks of training interrupted only by a seven-day rest in Egypt at the end of March. He says he currently weighs 12st 6lbs.

It is a far cry from the days when a series of injuries left DeGale frustrated and considering a career-change to become a personal trainer.

DeGale said: "I've got a gym and I was thinking with my name, I could probably make about three or four grand a week. I could.

"But now I'm on this paper chase. I'm going to earn my first million. But you know what, I'm not joking, a million pounds doesn't go far.

"They tax me, they take 30 percent off me before I leave the country, I've got to come back and pay people, put a big deposit down on a house, treat myself and then I've only got a couple of hundred grand.

"A million pound is nothing. I've spent it already."

DeGale is yet to command the admiration of British boxing fans, but believes beating Dirrell in America, and setting up a potential all-British fight against Froch or Groves, will boost his popularity.

"Will I be loved if I win the world title? I'd like to think so," DeGale said. "I get a lot of love and support on the street when I get noticed out, or on Twitter.

"But I think you're doing something right if you get some haters as well. Not everyone is going to like you - look at Floyd Mayweather.

"He just got booed, he's a boxing genius, and he got booed after smashing out Manny Pacquiao. It's crazy.

"The majority of boxing fans are like football fans - they're fickle."

Promoter Eddie Hearn, who has promised DeGale a £20,000 Rolex watch if he wins, added: "This is a different guy from the Groves fight. Not just a different fighter but a different person. He was just a kid then.

"All he wanted to be was flash. He loved his boxing, but he was going out all the time being jack the lad and going to pool parties.

"You grow up and then realise what you want in your life and that is what has happened to James DeGale. He has pure focus on his boxing now."