DeGale shrugs off boo-boys

Olympic gold medallist James DeGale insists he will not allow himself to be affected by the "idiots" who booed him after making his professional debut in Birmingham on Saturday night.

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.

"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."