World amateur champion Gavin has uprooted from his Birmingham home to live and train in Manchester as he prepares for his second pro contests at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, on Saturday, May 15.

Ricky Hatton takes on Manny Pacquiao this weekend

And he was been willingly engulfed by the he fever sweeping the Hatton’s hometown as this weekend’s IBO light-welterweight scrap with Manny Pacquiao looms in Las Vegas.

‘I’m convinced Ricky is going to win the fight,’ said Gavin. ‘There’s not a chance Pacquiao will stop Ricky early but it could be on the cards that Ricky finishes it very quickly.

‘It is a real 50-50 fight and it’s going to be a classic but I believe Ricky will edge it.

‘Everyone wants to be in great fight like that. It really gets you going and get’s your blood coursing just thinking about it. Fight’s like that are why you are in the business and it’s what we all aspire to.’

Gavin is happy that boxing is continuing to hit the headlines for all the right reasons and was impressed by Carl Froch’s resilience in retaining his WBC super-middleweight crown by knocking out Jermain Taylor with just 14 seconds left in the final round.

Gavin is convinced Hatton will triumph

But the 23-year-old light-welterweight added: ‘Joe Calzaghe was another of my favourites as I was growing up and he was really impressive. I like the way he moved round the ring, he was clever and didn’t get that hit that much – rather like American Pernell Whitaker, another of my idols.

‘Joe really earned his respect and if he came out of retirement to fight Carl Froch it would be a fantastic fight. Carl has been calling him out and I’d like to see Joe take him on because I think he would exploit his defensive limitations.’

ESPN Classic’s Best of British Boxing weekend – 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday, Sky Channel 442. For details visit http://www.espnclassic.com.

Tickets for Gavin’s fight in Belfast are available from Ticketmaster on 0870 243 4455 or http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Some weeks ago Warren promoted the professional debuts of Olympians James DeGale, Frankie Gavin and Billy-Joe Saunders.

Shamrock shocker: Frankie Gavin, James DeGale and Billy-Joe Saunders

The fights took place in Birmingham so Warren’s young charges were photographed holding a cardboard cut-out map of Great Britain and pointing – somewhat sheepishly, it has to be said – at Birmingham. Genius!

Well, now the trio are fighting in Belfast and can you guess what prop they’ve been given to illustrate the fact?

No, not a cardboard cut-out map of Northern Ireland. It’s a cardboard shamrock of course – with the word ‘BELFAST’ stuck on it. More genius!

The 23-year-old Olympic gold medallist and former amateur team-mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders will fight in Belfast on May 8 or 9.

Vow: James DeGale is determined to prove the critics wrong

DeGale’s paid debut in Birmingham last month ended with him being booed after labouring to a points win over unknown Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia and his new opponent is yet to be confirmed.

Londoner DeGale said: ‘I was a bit bamboozled by that, to be honest, because wherever I go all I get is support and love. It takes me hours just to walk to the toilet at these events because of all the autographs so I wonder where are all these booing boys?’

The 23-year-old beat Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia on points over four rounds on the same bill as fellow debutants Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders, who were both involved in stoppage victories. DeGale took a more measured approach – and was greeted with booing by a section of the crowd.

James Degale

“There are some idiots out there – I thought I boxed all right,” said DeGale. “I went out there just to win. But it will all come. I’ve got through bigger challenges than that. It was nothing, trust me.”

He added: “It’s a learning curve, firstly, but I think I could have opened up a bit more.

“But I’ve been an amateur since I was 10 – so for 13 years – and I’ve been a professional for eight weeks.

“I was a little bit disappointed (about the booing) at the end. But it takes two to tango in a fight and if he’s throwing nothing back, it’s very hard.

“There’s so much more from me to come. They’ve got their own opinion and only time will tell. It was only my first professional fight.

“I’m very confident I will go all the way.”

Showing plenty of the moves which helped him dazzle his way to Beijing glory just over six months ago, Degale dominated an opponent with a 9-8 record and scored a shut-out 40-36 points win.

James Degale

Degale’s former Olympic team-mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders both also started their paid careers with wins on a night promoter Frank Warren will hope provided glimpses of a glittering future to come.

The 23-year-old Degale entered the ring in a golden robe and his British amateur vest, which he ripped off and symbolically tossed into the crowd before referee Howard Foster got the action under way.

It did not take long for Degale’s star quality to shine through as he jolted the Georgian with a short overhand right and continued to dominate the opening round as he sought to prize an opening through his opponent’s tight guard.

His patient, systematic approach was a world away from the manner in which he claimed his gold medal in Beijing when he clung on to triumph in an unseemly brawl over Cuban Emilio Correa.

The useful target practice continued despite a more positive approach from Tchilaia at the start of round three, although Degale’s sleek performance was bizarrely met with boos at the end by some sections of the NIA crowd.

Hatfield teenager Saunders threw bombs from the start to dispose of former Hungarian light-welterweight champion Attila Molnar with referee John Keane stopping the contest at one minute 47 seconds of round two.

World amateur champion Gavin rebounded from disappointment of failing to make the Games due to weight concerns when he stopped Georgia’s George Kadaria in the fourth and final round in front of a raucous home-city crowd.

But unlike Saunders, Gavin had it far from his own way as he struggled to adapt to the very different professional game, as he was caught by a number of right hands and ended his debut bout with a bloody nose.

With two Commonwealth titles and one European belt on the line, as well as three of our British Olympians making their professional debuts.

Jon Thaxton vs. Anthony Mezaache

The action kicks off on ITV4 at 7.45 pm with Jon Thaxton defending his European Lightweight title for the first time in front of his home fans at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich.

His opponent is Frenchman Anthony Mezaache and with a record of 10 – 5 – 1 i can only see one outcome here, an easy first defence for Thaxton.

Also on this bill look out for 6ft 7 Heavyweight Tyson Fury, who’s frst two professional bouts ended within three rounds.

Prediction: Thaxton win by KO

Matt Skelton vs. Martin Rogan

Over on Sky Sports 1 from 10pm, the action will be coming from the NIA, Birmingham, where a top bill will feature Commonwealth Heavyweight champ Matt Skelton defending his belt against Prizefighter winner Martin Rogan.

Despite Rogan showing his class against Audley Harrison last year, Skelton has a lot more in his locker, and will probably edge a points decision.

Prediction: Skelton win on pts

Don Broadhurst vs. Isaac Owusu

As mentioned in our ‘One to watch’ feature, youngster Don Broadhurst make the defence of his Commonwealth title against novice Ghanaian Isaac Owusu, who shouldn’t provide much of a test.

Broadhurst will be hoping to put on quite a show in front of a big audience as he continues his journey through the ranks.

Prediction: Broadhurst win by KO

The Olympians

Sky Sports will also see the professional debuts of part of the successful British Olympic boxing team.

With all the hype surrounding gold medal winner James DeGale, he’ll be hoping for an explosive entrance to the professional scene and probably go all out for the knockout against Georgian Vepkhia Tchilaia.

As for Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders it will probably be a similar story with both of them picking up easy wins.

The 23-year-old turned professional for a reported £1.5million with Frank Warren in December and has his first fight in the paid ranks on Saturday against Vepkhia Tchilaia of Georgia at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham

DeGALE FORCEFull name:James Frederick DeGale MBEBorn: February 3, 1986Lives:Harlesden, LondonMajor titles won:Olympic gold medal 2008, Commonwealth Games bronze medal 2006, Senior ABA champion 2005

So, your Pro debut is here at last.

It’s very, very close and I’m hyped up but I’m ready. I know he [Tchalaia] has had 17 fights, won nine, lost eight. But I’ve seen all this before as an amateur, I’ve boxed these kind of people, the Eastern Europeans, the Russians, the Georgians. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve not seen him on tape yet but my trainer Jim McDonnell has.

How have you dealt with the intensity of turning pro?

I can’t wait to prove to people just how well I’ve adapted to the pro game. There’s more time to think, it’s the perfect move for me.

Does it help that your mates and fellow Olympians Billy Joe Saunders and Frankie Gavin will also be on the bill on Saturday?I’m sure I’ll have a cup of tea and little chat with Billy Joe and Frankie but first of all it’s down to business. I speak to those guys anyway, I know them well. I’m looking forward to the whole thing, the whole night, the entrance and everything. I’d better get a move on, though – I haven’t even picked what music I’m coming out to yet.

Are you a bit disappointed your first fight is not in London, though?

When Frank told me I was a bit disappointed but one of my next ones will be and that will be excellent for me, my friends, my family and my fans. I’ve sold 300 tickets myself for my debut as it is.

You wouldn’t have really stayed amateur, would you?

I came back from China in a bit of a bubble but I sat down and thought about it and I’d always wanted to go pro. It would have been silly of me to stay amateur. This is harder graft but I love it. My first thought was: “Oh my God, Jim’s training me like a nutter!” but I pulled through and gone up a notch in everything now.

You must be raring to go considering it’s been six months since you boxed.

It’s all I want to do. The next step, and what everything is geared towards, is to be world champion around 2012 – that’s what I’ve always wanted. I’ve had some hard sparring but I’m looking forward to getting into the ring. Doing all the press and everything beforehand is something I don’t mind but the amount of things I’ve been asked to do… I just had to turn some things down in the end. But I like to think I bring a little something when I meet people, in interviews; I’m not boring.

What was the strangest thing you got asked to do?

Well, I’ve just done Cosmopolitan naked! That was for charity, though, for testicular cancer so that was fine.

Do you still look back at Beijing and what has happened subsequently with a little disbelief?

Every day since I won the gold medal I still get goose pimples and shivers down my spine. I have all my fights on my laptop and watch them whenever I can.

You really cut loose when you came back from the Games with all the awards ceremonies and VIP invites. Was it hard to knock the partying lifestyle on the head?

Of course. I got into the way of partying and the first two weeks back in training under Jim were hard but this is the life for me now, this is my job.

You have been cast as a bit of a ladies’ man already, too.

That’s just another side to me. Obviously I love it, I love women, but nothing will ever come before boxing for me.

David Haye says you’re ‘not his cup of tea’. What do you say to your critics?That’s been blown up a bit but me and him just don’t get on, I think he’s disrespecting me. I haven’t got time for that kind of stuff.

He has been sharpening his skills by training in Manchester with former WBU middleweight champion Anthony Farnell.

Confident: Frankie Gavin

And Gavin, who became the first Briton to win gold at the world amateur championships in Chicago in December 2007, is reaping immediate benefits.

He will face Georgia light-welterweight George Kadaria, winner of five of his eight contest, on home territory at the national Indoor Arena in Birmingham on a spectacular show which also features Olympic gold medal winner James DeGale and Beijing boxer Billy Joe Saunders.

Gavin, who was forced to withdraw from the Olympics because of a problem with his weight, can’t wait to climb back into the ring.

‘I have already improved a lot since starting training with Anthony Farnell,’ the 23-year-old Midlander.

‘I already knew how to box but he has added little bits and pieces to my repertoire that have already made me a lot better fighter.

‘I feel I’m punching a lot harder and keeping my speed as well which is just what I want. My training could not have gone any better and I just want to get into the ring and record my first victory as a professional.’

Gavin is not concerned his opponent has already tasted combat as a professional and added: ‘I will have to be focused against him but I have fought around 30 East Europeans as an amateur so I know what to expect from them.

‘I have been sparring over eight rounds of three and a half minutes and this fight is going to be four three minute rounds so I’m well up for it. I’m straining at the leash.

Birmingham City fan Gavin will enter the ring wearing blue trunks with BCFC embroidered on them and he said: ‘I have been on the St Andrews pitch several times and it is always a special occasion.

‘I love the club and the fans are so passionate. Now I want to give them something else to cheer about.’

Frankie Gavin and fellow Olympic boxers Billy Joe Saunders and gold medal winner James DeGale make their professional boxing debuts at The NIA in Birmingham on Saturday, February 28.

For tickets call 0844 338 8000 or visit http://www.theticketfactory.com

The lucky winners will each get a pair of ringside seats to see Olympian boxers Billy Joe Saunders, Frankie Gavin and Gold medal winner, James DeGale, as they make their professional debuts on Saturday 28th February 2009.

With Commonwealth Champions Matt Skelton and Don Broadhurst also on the bill, this action-packed evening is not to be missed!

Tickets are on sale now. Please call 0844 338 8000 or visit www.theticketfactory.com

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All in all it has been a pretty good year for British boxing but we’ve had some big low points. Amir Khan had a few solid performances followed by a 54 second blow-out against Breidis Prescott in which we were forced to watch the Olympic silver medalist shudder and come crashing down like a drunken mother-in-law dancing at her child’s wedding. Although his star is somewhat diminished following this performance, he redeemed himself with one-sided defeat of Oisin Fagan in December.

Joe Calzaghe was floored twice by two first ballot hall-of-famers with a combined age of over 80 but still managed to come home with two decision wins. One heavily contested the other…less so… His fight against Roy Jones Jr. was a joke at the very least. The Italian Dragon was well aware that the four-weight world champion was shot to kingdom come after his performances against Tarver, Johnson and more recently against the flabby former welterweight Felix “Tito” Trinidad. Although he won convincingly, he embarrassed himself by not only taking this fight, but by the way he conducted himself in it as well.

Ricky Hatton won a closer-than-it-should-have-been contest against Juan Lazcano in front of 57,000 fans in his home city of Manchester, and quickly dispensed with the services of long-time trainer Billy Graham. He soon hired Floyd Mayweather Sr. and a rejuvenated Hitman emerged with a convincing TKO victory over top light-welterweight Paulie Malignaggi and in this writers opinion has put forward a strong argument as being a top-10 pound-for-pound fighter again.

The big name in British boxing in 2008 was one David “Hayemaker” Haye. He came into the year as undisputed cruiserweight champ following his convincing victory over former champ Jean-Marc Mormeck and took Enzo Macarinelli’s WBO title from him in a two-round demolition which made the Swansea native look like a slow, plodding journeyman without a plan. I’ll leave you to ponder that thought for a second…….

….Anyway, Mr. Haye went on to bigger and better things in 2008. He moved up to the heavyweight division and immediately began calling out all the big guns. He provided a breath of fresh air to a division that had previously been as compelling to watch as the film “Pearl Harbor.” God I hate Ben Affleck!!

By running around like a child who’s eaten too many smarties (see http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jnOANul82Tw&feature=PlayList&p=2B3506B6E3D18805&playnext=1&index=67) and launching some personal attacks on the Klitschko’s, he’s brought himself so much attention a title shot against one of the brothers is inevitable, even if he has to wait just that little bit longer to get his chance. As regular contributor to the BTBC, smoothstyle1 says: Honk! Honk! All aboard the David Haye bandwagon! Don’t worry smooth, I’m already there.

The end of year brought a long awaited world title win for Carl Froch who scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Jean Pascal. The Cobra had been subjected to so many disappointments in recent years with injuries to himself and to his opponents at the last moment, preventing him from reaching that next level. However, 2008 was the Nottingham boy’s year (hardly a boy at 30 I know, but I digress).

British Amateur Boxing had its best year of recent times with the highlight being James DeGale’s Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division. Most of the Olympic hopefuls have now turned pro and Frankie Gavin, Billie-Joe Saunders and DeGale are rumoured to be making their professional debuts on the Matt Skelton-Mark Rogan undercard on 28^th February. The next generation looks very promising for British boxing.

As well as the Beijing boys, the British isles have a number of young fighters rising quickly through the ranks such as Nathan Cleverly (21, Super-Middleweight, Commonwealth Champion, 13-0), Paul Appleby (21, featherweight, British champion 13-0) and Kell Brook (22, welterweight, British champion, 18-0) who looks the best of the bunch.

Predictions for 2009

Boxing and British boxing especially, is in a very healthy situation at the moment and I completely refute Joe Calzaghe’s claims that boxing is a dying art (see http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/mma/boxing/12/10/calzaghe-dying.ap/index.html). British fighters had a great end to 2008 and as proven above, the talent pool is wide. So here we go, my predictions for 2009:

· David Haye will bring some life back to a division which has been on a life-support-machine since the retirement of Lennox Lewis. I’m not saying he’ll beat either of the Klitschkos but we’re gonna have some fun watching it.

· Joe Calzaghe’s gone. I have seen no clear indications that he’s going to return and there are no “big” names for him to fight. I appreciate we’d all like to see him against IBF/IBO Champion Chad Dawson, but Joe’s not going to get out of bed for anything less than a hall-of-fame fighter as was proven in 2008. Apart from Hopkins who Joe has refused to fight again (and thank god, the first fight was dire), there are none around. Therefore, he won’t fight again.

· Ricky Hatton is approaching the last couple of years of his career and so, will be looking for big money fights. There is no bigger name than Manny Pacquiao and a mega-fight on May 2^nd is apparently almost done and dusted. Where he goes after that is anyone’s guess, I just hope it isn’t a rematch against Pretty Boy Floyd, as he’ll be out of there quicker than the Mancunian crowd can shout “who are ya” at the 5-weight world champ.

· Carl Froch will fight a mandatory defence and chase Jermain Taylor for that big money fight. Will it come? I hope so. He deserves it.

· Amir Khan will carry on learning and maturing under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, but given the current strength of the lightweight division, a world title shot is probably out the question in 2009. A match-up with former WBO super-featherweight champion Alex Arthur would be straightforward to set up as both are promoted by Frank Warren. A fight with a faded star such as Julio Diaz or Michael Katsidis is probably the best we can hope for , and a chance to avenge his first professional defeat against Breidis Prescott, would be too good too turn down.

· The other young hopefuls spoken of in this article will continue to prosper but world title shots are probably a few years away. The Olympic boys should fight 6-8 times in 2009 according to Frank Warren so by the end of the year, we should have a good idea of where they’re headed.

2009 IS Boxing.

The trio, who turned professional with leading promoter Frank Warren before Christmas, will feature on a busy card at the National Indoor Arena on February 28 which also sees Matt Skelton defending his Commonwealth heavyweight title against Martin Rogan.

New challenge: DeGale

The evening will be particularly special for world amateur champion Gavin, who hails from Hall Green in the second city.

He fights on the same bill as fellow Brummie Don Broadhurst, making the first defence of his Commonwealth super-flyweight title against former British champion Andy Bell.

Harrison agreed a £1million, 10-fight deal with the BBC after striking gold at Sydney 2000 but the heavyweight never convinced against sub-standard opposition.

With three defeats on his record he faces probably his last chance to rescue his career when he faces Martin Rogan in London on Saturday.

DeGale, who has signed a two-year deal with Frank Warren worth £1.5million, believes he will prove a greater success in the paid ranks than Harrison.

‘I’m different to Audley, I’m not the same. I love boxing, it’s my life,’ he said.

‘People ask me what books I read, but I only read Boxing News. People ask me what films I like, and I say boxing films.

‘Technically Audley is the best heavyweight in the world. He’s a fantastic fighter.

‘But there are doubts about his heart. Does he really want it? He doesn’t want to be beaten technically.

‘You’ve got to have the heart, you’ve got to want it and be fit. Maybe Audley doesn’t have it.’

DeGale is contracted to fight between six and eight times per year in shows that will be staged across the country.

The 22-year-old turned down offers from home and abroad in favour of Sports Network alongside fellow British Olympic team-mates Frankie Gavin and Billy Joe Saunders.

‘Frank Warren is proven. He’s worked with the likes of Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan,’ said DeGale.

‘I like Frank, he’s a charmer and I like the vibe he gives off. He also offered me the best deal.

‘I’m going to be there first Brit to win a gold medal and a world tile.

‘People have said that I hit, run and hold but you don’t win an Olympic medal without having something.

‘My grandad has always told me to aim high and that’s what I’m doing.’

DeGale aimed a parting shot at the Amateur Boxing Association, claiming their conduct is driving fighters into the professional ranks.

‘Their behaviour just made it easier to join the pros, it made up our minds,’ he said.

‘They never came up with a package. If they say they did then they are lying. They never even called to give me advice.

‘It was as if they didn’t want us. They assumed I’d go because I’d won gold, so they forgot about us. They treated us like kids.’

DeGale, who won gold at middleweight in Beijing, has signed with promoter Frank Warren, along with Olympic team-mates Billy Joe Saunders and Frankie Gavin. The 22-year-old Londoner claims the ABA owe him money and have failed to deliver on their promises.

James DeGale

“They owe me a very, very big bonus, but they’ve tried to tell me that because I’m turning pro I’m not going to get it,” DeGale said.

He added: “They are a bunch of jokers. They promise you this and that and they don’t give nothing.

“They are a joke and they need to be shown in their true colours. They go on like they give us everything but they don’t give us nothing.

The Amateur Boxing Association of England strongly refuted the claims made by Degale, which echoed those of bronze medallist Tony Jeffries when he became the first Beijing Olympian to turn professional on Saturday.

ABAE chief executive Paul King told PA Sport: “The medal bonuses were withdrawn in December 2007 and that was based on the premise that the ABA only now receives funding for the grass-roots elements of the sport.

“All of the elite programme is funded by the government through UK Sport. We have nothing to do with that programme as such. Our remit is to grow the sport as the ABA of England.

“The medal bonuses were something the ABA made available out of the goodness of their heart prior to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games to try to stimulate the England team at that time.

“Then it went to a GB programme, as did the funds to pay any medal bonuses to the elite athletes. It is wrong that the ABA is having to bear the brunt of all this right now.”

Warren has also signed DeGale’s Olympic colleague Billy Joe Saunders, and Frankie Gavin, whose dream of Beijing gold was shattered when he failed to make his required weight.

Turning pro: James DeGale

The three former amateurs will make their professional debuts in 2009.

By turning professional, the trio become ineligible to compete at the London Olympics in 2012.

Warren believes all three can transfer their amateur performances to the professional ranks and go all the way to the top.

Warren said: ‘I’m delighted to have signed James, Frankie and Billy Joe, and I’m very excited about working with them in the future.

‘I think they will all become world champions, and after their success as amateurs, the public is really going to get behind them and will want to watch their progress through the ranks.’

Middleweight DeGale, now 22, won gold at the Olympics in August, with victory in the final against Cuban Emilio Correa.

Lightweight Gavin, as a world amateur champion, was also considered a strong Olympic medal prospect but failed to appear at the Games after being unable to drop enough weight. Now 23, he will be looking to make amends in the paid ranks.

Welterweight Saunders, 19, reached the second round in his division in Beijing.

UK Sport, which distributed lottery money to Olympic sports, handed the running of the elite GB performance programme to British Amateur Boxing Association, an umbrella group for the Amateur Boxing Associations of England, Wales and Scotland.

Unsure future: DeGale

Previously it had come under the auspices of the ABA of England by whom Edwards had felt he was being undermined in Beijing.

Edwards had seven hours of meetings with with UK Sport on Friday but did not get the assurances required to commit his future for 2012.

‘I haven’t seen any of the detail, I don’t even know what my job is,’ Edwards told The Times.

‘I put the last programme in place myself, I’m not putting my name to something when I don’t even know what this programme will be.’

And Edwards admitted he is unsure whether there will be a performance director appointed over his head, or if the programme, based in Sheffield, will be regionalised.

‘There have been a lot of rumours,’ Edwards added.

‘The purpose of a lot of it seems to be to heal rifts. We are supposed to shake hands and put our nose back to the grindstone. But some of those wounds won’t just go away.’

Should Edwards leave several members of Britain’s squad, including Olympic middleweight champion James DeGale and world lightweight champion Frankie Gavin, have pledged to leave the amateur ranks.

And DeGale, 22, has revealed a good financial offer to turn professional may prove irresistible and confirmed he will make a decision by the end of the month.

‘To be honest, I’m looking for £2million over two years,’ he told BBC Radio Five Live.

‘Some promoters are all mouth but as an Olympic gold medallist I should be really looking for that kind of money.’

DeGale admitted the chance to secure his family’s financial future was hugely attractive, but they were putting him under no pressure.

‘I’ve got to think about it carefully, and if they (promoters) come up with something sensible, it’s going to be hard to say no.

‘I’ve been in professional gyms and sparred with British and Commonwealth champions, so the pro game would suit me to a tee, trust me.

‘Everybody who’s been in the gym with me, trained with or has trained me knows deep down I will become a world champion.’

Londoner DeGale led Great Britain’s best boxing haul from the Games for 50 years when he won the middleweight crown in Beijing, with David Price claiming bronze in the super-heavyweight category and Tony Jeffries the same colour at light-heavyweight division.

Golden boy: DeGale

Khan, the lightweight silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Games, watched the progress of the battling Brits in Beijing on television and sat riveted to the screen as DeGale beat Emilio Correa Bayeux in the final, despite being bitten by the Cuban.

Commonwealth lightweight champion Khan – preparing for his big fight against Breidis Prescott in Manchester next Saturday – said: ‘For James DeGale to become the Olympic champion was a magnificent achievement.

‘He has done himself and Great Britain proud. What he has done will change the course of his life. He will probably still be in dreamland for a while and it might not have sunk what he has done yet.

‘I did my training session early so that I could watch DeGale in his final bout. I couldn’t believe it when Correa bit him but it was a desperate move as he was five points behind. The bout was close until the end but DeGale showed his class to overcome a difficult opponent to take the greatest achievement in the amateur sport.’

Khan (right) was the only GB boxer at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the nation was glued to their screens watching the heroic exploits of the then 17-year-old.

In Beijing there were eight GB fighters – seven after Frankie Gavin failed to make weight – and they had their most successful team since the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Khan added: ‘I’ve been watching and supporting all the lads on TV whenever they have been boxing.

‘I would have been in Beijing cheering them on if I wasn’t training for my September 6 fight – and I thought all the guys were just tremendous out there. Tony Jeffries and David Price did fantastically well to win bronze medals and even though Billy Joe Saunders, Bradley Saunders, Joe Murray and Khalid Yafai didn’t win medals the experience would have done them the world of good and should stand them in good stead for the future.

‘Obviously I was disappointed when top prospect Frankie Gavin couldn’t go and who knows what he could have achieved had he been able to compete.’

The suspension comes less than 48 hours before James Degale, Tony Jeffries and David Price contest semi-final bouts in Beijing having already confirmed their team’s medal haul will be the greatest since the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Edwards said he only learned via the media that Saunders, who was beaten in the second round in Beijing last week, had returned home to find he had been suspended pending an investigation into alleged lewd behaviour during a pre-Games training camp in France.

Edwards said: ‘My focus over the next 48 hours is to prepare my three boxers for their semi-final bouts tomorrow. The allegations made in the media about the conduct of athletes on the British Boxing programme are, on the whole, unfounded.

‘I feel extremely disillusioned that I have learnt of the suspension of one of my boxers from the media.

‘Above all though, I am so sad that this, together with the other allegations made, have been raised to distract and unsettle me, the coaching team, and more importantly my boxers ahead of the most important bouts of their lives.’

Edwards’ supporters have long accused the ABA of wanting the 65-year-old out, and privately mounting a campaign to discredit the head coach, which they stepped up in the wake of gold medal favourite Frankie Gavin’s failure to make the Olympic weight.

Civil war has been brewing in the amateur ranks since UK Sport effectively positioned themselves as an umbrella organisation to provide extra assistance to the British-level fighters within the three individual home nation boxing associations.

In May, Matt Archibald, the UK Sport-funded elite squad manager widely considered Edwards’ right-hand man, was suspended by the ABA for what they described as a ‘minor misdemeanour’, believed to relate to the method of payment of a hotel bill.

Archibald travelled to Beijing as an accredited official of UK Sport and watched the British boxers from the stands alongside their friends and club trainers, but he has since returned home to the UK.

Then shortly before the team flew out for their pre-Games training camp in Macau, elements within the governing body reportedly threatened to withdraw the boxers’ licences and pull them out of Beijing in another row over funding.

Today, Team GB’s Chef de Mission Simon Clegg found himself in the unusual position of having to accuse one of his sport’s governing bodies of effectively attempting to undermine themselves.

Clegg said: ‘The Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) choosing to yesterday (Wednesday) issue Billy Joe Saunders with a suspension relating to an incident which happened months before the Beijing Olympic Games is extremely disappointing.

‘Releasing such allegations to the media at this time could prove detrimental to the critical preparations of the other three boxers who will be contesting to reach the final of the boxing competition tomorrow.

‘We are frustrated that our athletes and the boxing coaching team will have to deal with this added pressure and distraction at this point in the Games. Nobody involved with boxing should be distracting the team at this time.’

Under the increased funding programme, Britain’s elite fighters have been able to train full-time at the Institute of Sport in Sheffield and qualified eight fighters for Beijing, as opposed to just one in Athens and two in Sydney in 2000.

Edwards added that a number of other reports of indiscipline involving the squad were incorrect or exaggerated, but stressed he would not address them specifically until all his fighters had completed their Olympic competition this week.

The 18-year-old Saunders, who discovered his suspension from a letter when he arrived back in Britain earlier this week, was allegedly seen on a video, briefly posted on the Youtube website, making lewd remarks to a French cleaner in a hotel corridor.

Edwards said: ‘Over the past four years I have put together a Boxing Programme which has produced the best ever Commonwealth Games results, three World Championship medallists, the most qualifiers for the Olympic Games since 1992, and the most Olympic medal winners since 1972.

‘But more importantly I have tried to instil in my team a respect for themselves and others, and a sense of pride in competing for their country. I will thoroughly address all allegations made when I get back to the UK.

‘Right now, I have three boxers who are fighting to win gold medals for Team GB, and I will not allow anything to distract my lads from what they need to do in the ring.’

Officials at UK Sport have been keen to stress that the ultimate responsibility for the British squad has always rested with the ABA, although funding issues must fall within UK Sport’s own terms and conditions.

A spokesman added: ‘At this critical time for us our focus is on the performances in Beijing and the three boxers who have already won medals for their country, exceeding everyone’s expectations and the sport’s own medal target.

‘It would be disappointing if this issue became a distraction, and we hope Terry Edwards will be given the freedom to support David Price, Tony Jeffries and James Degale in their gold medal campaign.’

Gavin was sent home for being overweight and is already being touted as a role model for Britain’s youth.

A Team GB spokesman said ‘It’s a great result for us and Frankie is delighted. He has trained heavily and has been stapping as many kebabs and Nik-Naks down his throat as he can. He is representative of the best of todays British youth. Being the first to be sent home for being too fat is a dream come true.’

His hometown of Birmingham is considering an open-top bus parade through the streets of Birmingham. The intended route being from McDonalds at The Bullring, past KFC and onto Burger King in Dudley.

The Mayor of Birmingham, Chaudry Rashid, said today ‘We look forward to welcoming our Olympic hero back. We have organised a celebratory dinner at Pizza Hut and hope he endorses our new youth fitness campaign ‘Frankie’s Fat Forkers’ which involves parading obese children through the centre of town for people to point and laugh at. They get a walk and we get a giggle. Win Win ‘

Frankie said he was only in China to get a decent takeaway.

Until later…