By Mark Vester
2008 Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale has been getting a lot of heat from well-known boxers in the UK. A few weeks ago, DeGale traded words in the press with the recently retired Joe Calzaghe. This week DeGale is defending himself against UK legend/former champion Chris Eubank. During a recent interview, Eubank told reporters that DeGale is a hyped up fighter who will crash and burn like heavyweight Audley Harrison, who also won a gold medal but had a lackluster career.
Eubank doesn't agree with DeGale's signing of a big money contract with promoter Frank Warren. He says the £1.5million dollar deal will make DeGale a less focused fighter. DeGale makes his pro middleweight debut on Saturday against Vepkhia Tchilaia. He says Eubank is a jealous fighter who lost his mind.
"Chris is a nut, he has lost the plot. He is a bit mad. He is a good fighter so I cannot say anything bad about that. But there was no need to say those things. I wish he would just give me a break. Firstly, I do not have all this money that people think I do, I have to earn it. Secondly, I am committed to what I do and this is my job, my hunger will never go," DeGale told sport.co.uk.
"I have met Chris and he was all right to me, he was speaking to me and he was nice so I was pretty upset that he came out and said what he did. Maybe he is a little jealous that I won an Olympic gold medal and he did not even make the Olympics. In the next four years I will be out there fighting for world titles like he was and prove him wrong. I am the new star, the people are looking for someone to replace Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe and I am that man to be the next British hero."
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