James DeGale

“I've done it the hard way - first Olympic gold medallist from Great Britain to win a world title, the 'road warrior.' I love that tag because I do travel.”

“All boxers are OCD. You can see a bit of OCD in me before I go into the ring. I can't put on my right boot before my left. It's the same with my gloves. It's got to always be the left foot and the left hand first. I would freak out if I did it differently. I have to do the left first because that's the way I done it when I won the Olympics.”

“Losing weight for me is about eating healthy and training hard and the weight falls off me.”

“The first couple of years of my career were going fantastic, everything running smoothly. I was the next best thing. Obviously there were problems that were out of my hands, changing promoters and all different things behind the scenes that people don't see.”

“Money comes and goes.”

“The right shoulder is vital, being the one with which the southpaw employs his fast, and very effective, jab, which remains the cornerstone of his work.”

“Lucian Bute had the world title for five years, he made nine defenses and he's a good, good fighter. The fight before that, I beat Andre Dirrell, who comes from a good pedigree and is a hell of a southpaw. It just shows you the kind of fighter I am when I focus and do my job.”

“I'm a big Gooner, a die-hard.”

“I used to love tap, that was favourite, and a bit of street dancing. Ballet I tried to avoid.”

“I said Lucian Bute is a world-class fighter.”

“I will take on any super middleweight in the world.”

“I love all the attention I've got since becoming Olympic champion and being asked to go to different events, but boxing is what I do.”

“Of course, it means something to beat George Groves to winning a world title.”

“I've boxed all around the world.”

“It is a difficult decision, either to turn pro or stay amateur.”

“When I'm not preparing for a fight, I like to chill, go to the cinema and socialise with my mates.”

“I could have ended up in a gang or in prison because Harlesden is real rough and I was always a naughty boy. That's how I got into boxing.”

“When I retire, if people see me on the street and remember me, just give me a smile. That's all I want.”

“Coming out of the Olympic Games, I was the golden boy and I got put up on a pedestal. I got stuff handed to me.”

“I'm not really a reader, but every Thursday and Friday I read my Boxing News. I read the papers every day, but I'm not really a book reader.”