DeGale Next Oppenent Announced

[The_budweiser]

DeGale Next Oppenent Announced

 

Mountain Ash light-heavyweight Nathan King will fight Beijing Olympic gold medallist James DeGale on 5 December.

 

The bout is on the undercard of Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight defence against Dmitriy Salita in Newcastle.

 

DeGale, 23, has won his last three fights by knock-out and is looking to be the third man to stop King, 28.

 

"He's going to be dangerous because he's fought for titles before," said Londoner DeGale, unbeaten in four fights, ahead of the showdown.

 

"The only people who have stopped him are [former British champion] Tony Quigley and [world-rated Frenchman] Jean Paul Mendy so that tells you that he's going to be tough.

 

"If I can do a number on him then it is going to send out a big statement to the domestic division.

 

"Back in March he fought Kenny Anderson up in Scotland for the Celtic title and I thought he won that fight quite easily, but he lost it on the scorecards.

 

"This is the kind of fight I need though right now in my career.

 

"I'm really buzzing in the gym at the moment and I want a challenge because I feel like I'm getting better every day.

 

"People have only seen about 10% of what I can do at the moment."

 

King, a former Joe Calzaghe sparring partner, has gone the distance with the likes of Tony Oakey, Tony Dodson, Stevie McGuire, Eric Teymour and Anderson.

 

"James is a great talent but I'll be far too experienced for him," said King, who has 12 wins and 14 defeats in his eight-year professional career.

 

"He's still a baby in the pros and I'll give him a lesson he won't forget."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/8365367.stm

[Faulks]

EXPERIENCED Welshman Nathan King has warned Olympic hero James DeGale he still has a “lot to prove” ahead of their big fight next month, writes Blair Wood.

 

Having recently fought the likes of highly-rated Frenchman Jean-Paul Mendy and former British champion Tony Quigley, King has been given another high-profile bout against rising star DeGale on the undercard for the Amir Khan-Dimitriy Salita fight in Newcastle on December 5.

 

And, while those last two bouts ended in stoppage defeats, the Mountain Ash fighter is predicting a different outcome against the Beijing gold medallist.

 

While most are predicting a victory for his highly-rated opponent, King was quick to point out the DeGale’s Olympic success doesn’t count for anything in the pro ranks.

 

The Londoner might be the big draw in most people’s eyes but the Welshman clearly doesn’t see it that way.

 

“DeGale hasn’t done anything yet as a pro,” he explained.

 

“It’s all very well getting a gold medal at the Olympics but that doesn’t count for much as a professional.

 

“It doesn’t guarantee you success – just look at Audley Harrison.

 

“There was a lot of talk about him too, but he didn’t do the business in the ring.

 

“That is how I feel about DeGale.

 

“He is a good enough fighter, but he still has a lot to prove.”

 

Acknowledging the Londoner’s pre-fight comments, the 28-year-old added: “He has been giving me plenty of respect to be fair, saying I’ve got a granite chin and all that.

 

“But then I’ve still seen things with him saying he will be the man to knock me out and finish my career.

 

“DeGale can talk all he wants though. It comes down to what happens in the ring and, if that is how he feels now, he is in for a big surprise.”