James_DeGale's Blog by James_DeGale

My week began with a chill day after the weekend up in Glasgow. I felt a bit down after watching all the news about the Japan disasters. Three disasters in the space of three days; the earthquake, tsunami and then radiation fallout, unbelievable. I was astonished at the power and force of the water and what devastation it caused. My heart goes out to all the people affected in Japan. My family and I have donated to the charity to try and help in some way. If you are able to donate, then please do so. These people have lost everything and any little bit of help will go a long way.

The next day I had a media/photo shoot for Muscle Fitness. Tausheef Isru came to the gym to take some shots and have a chat about training, etc. It is meant to be in the June issue, so I will keep you updated. Before the shoot I had an easy 25 min run and as Jim calls it a 'shake out recovery session'. Tickets for Olympics went on sale. This makes it so real. All you have to do is go london2012.com. There are so many fab events to see, make sure you plan your days, so you can fit it all in. I woke up to Mum telling me the Groves fight had finally been agreed, no going back, contracts signed. So after many months of back and forth, it is finally happening. I couldn't believe it, I was ecstatic and ready to rumble.

So back to work - Jim had organised sparring, but it was cancelled, so we went for a training session at Hooks. It was a conditioning session on the Stairmaster and shadow boxing circuit. In the afternoon I went to my old amateur gym Dale Youth to show the young boys my Lonsdale belt. Lonsdale had also arranged some media interviews and photos. The boys were really excited and pleased to see me and my belt. I try to get down to see them whenever I have some spare time. It inspires and motivates them to think that I trained in the same gym, used the same bags, etc. etc. and that maybe one day, their dreams will come true. If I can, I do try to give a bit back to amateur boxing, by giving my time and donating a bit of equipment now and then to help grassroots sports.

Up early to get ready for the first press conference for the Groves fight at the Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane. I was full of excitement and fired up. The fight had finally been signed, sealed and delivered! There was lots of banter, backwards and forwards, claims and counter-claims, insults were traded freely by both teams. All in the name of the game! There was a good media turnout so lots of interviews and photos afterwards. Journalists were saying it was the best press conference for boxing in a long time. With the presser out of the way they then added insult to injury by making me spend another couple of hours with 'ugly kid' appearing on Sky TV's Ringside. By this time I'd had enough and all I wanted to do was have some fun instead of keep going over the same old things; 'he beat me in the amateurs' (robbed me six years ago); how I was second best in our amateur gym; how he was going to beat me again.

The problem is, when I get bored I get childish, so I decided to spice the event up a little and take the mikey out of Groves. Bit of banter, call it what you want. I just want the place packed out with boxing fans to come and watch a great fight ....and obviously to see me win!!!!! I trained late afterwards, a hard 20-round session. I think Jim was just giving me an idea of what the next 9 weeks are going to be like. Straight to bed when I got home at 11.00pm. Then up early, as I was off to Marbella on business with a friend. We left London in the pouring rain to arrive in Spain to beautiful sunshine. It was really warm. It was a nice break before my last weekend to let loose before I go into hibernation for 9 weeks. The only difference with my hibernation is no rest, all work and no play! Train hard, fight easy! Don't be disappointed buy your tickets early! Tickets on sale: www.jamesdegale.com