Super-middleweight star is letting his fists do the talking
Thursday 20 November 2014 11:39, UK
He knows him well - in and out of the ring - so who better to tell us where James DeGale is at than Paul Smith?
I've got to say I think we're seeing James DeGale move up a level.
I've known him since he was an amateur and he is not only a quality kid, he is a quality fighter as well. We all knew he had that in him but you can never guarantee even the most successful amateur has it all.
Well, I know James has.
Here in Britain we like a bit of humility and James DeGale has realised that; he has started to calm down and just let his fighting do the talking.
The one thing we weren't sure about was if he had that dig on him because you need that at the top level but DeGale has proved that against Brandon Gonzales at Wembley and it is developing.
DeGale has also upped it a level because he knows he is in the world level now. It's OK being a world-class amateur but you have to prove it in the pro game. It's OK believing it but you have to go and do it and DeGale is doing just that.
He's fighting and beating top-level oppponents but this really is a risky job. Marco Antonio Periban has been in with world champions but the bottom line is he hasn't really got anything to gain, other than keeping his eye in and keeping relevant.
People forget about boxers when they don't fight so this is keeping James in people's minds. I've seen a few YouTube clips of Periban and he looks decent and I have a feeling this is going to be a tough fight.
What I like about James in particular is the way he has matured attitude-wise. He gained a lot of enemies early on his career because a lot of people couldn't take that brashness he carried around. I was sitting there as someone who knows the kid well and knew he wasn't really like that. He is a real family man but he just came across the wrong way. But not any more.
He wound a lot of people up but now he has dropped a lot of that brashness and he is just getting on with the job, letting the boxing do the talking.
Here in Britain we like a bit of humility and James DeGale has realised that; he has started to calm down and just let his fighting do the talking.
He is where he is and has earned the money and reputation he's got because of his boxing ability and skills - not because who he is.
Let your ability keep doing the talking for you, James.
Watch DeGale v Periban live and exclusive as part of Cleverly v Bellew II, on Sky Sports Box Office on November 22, with Joshua, Groves, Smith and more also in action. Go to skysports.com/cleverlybellew to book.
