Georgian hard man Vepkhia Tchilaia has promised to ruin James DeGale's professional career in his very first fight.
The 21-year-old, from Tbilisi, Georgia, meets the 2008 Olympic gold medallist at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on February 28.
And he says he will knockout the flash North Londoner in spectacular style.
"Of course I've seen DeGale boxing in the Olympics but I am not worried about him at all," said Tchilaia.
"He is very classy to win the Olympics but the professionals are totally different and next week he is going to get a bad start in his new career.
"He lacks any power and I don't think he can take a punch too well. I think I will win by knockout, maybe even early.
"I love a good fight - but I don't know if DeGale does.
"He spent most of the Olympic final running from that Cuban.
"If he runs from me it might make it a longer fight but I'll catch up with him in the end and put him on his backside."
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***FIGHT CARD***
FRANK WARREN PROUDLY PRESENTS
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009
THE NATIONAL INDOOR ARENA, BIRMINGHAM
THE COMMONWEALTH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minutes Rounds
MATT SKELTON (Bedford, England) vs. MARTIN ROGAN (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
THE COMMONWEALTH SUPER-FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 X 3 Minute Rounds at 8st 3lb (115lb)
DON BROADHURST (Birmingham, England) vs. ISSAC OWUSU (Accra, Ghana)
THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND
10 X 3 Minute Rounds at 11st 6lb (160lb)
STEVE BENDALL (Coventry, England) vs. DARREN McDERMOTT (Dudley, England)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Middleweight Contest
JAMES DeGALE (Harlesden, London, England) vs. VEPKHIA TCHILAIA (Tblisi, Georgia)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
FRANKIE GAVIN (Birmingham, England) vs. GEORGE KADARIA (Tblisi, Georgia)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Welterweight Contest
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS (Hatfield, England) vs. ATTILA MOLNAR (Hungary)
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Featherweight Contest
STEVEN SMITH (Liverpool, England) vs. TBA
8 X 3 Minute Rounds Welterweight Contest
MARK LLOYD (Wolverhampton, England) vs. TBA
4 X 3 Minute Rounds Light-Middleweight Contest
THOMAS COSTELLO (Birmingham, England) vs. MATT SCRIVEN (Nottingham, England)
