Frank Warren is arguably the most high profile promoter on this side of the Atlantic and by signing three of the Olympic boxers who travelled to Beijing; he’s making his intentions obvious.
In Frankie Gavin, Joe Saunders and James DeGale he sees the future of British boxing and he sees British, European and World champions and if there is anyone who knows how to breed world champions, it’s Frank Warren.
He’s made Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Naseem Hamed all household names and despite the acrimonious splits (which are inevitable) has left them rich and as World Champions and in these three has signed some real potential.
James DeGale, 22, has come back as the only gold medallist out of the eight but in my opinion isn’t the best out of the three that Warren has signed.
Glorious Gavin
Frankie Gavin, 23, who was the first British boxer to win gold at the Amateur World Championship has the most potential out of the three and will be more eager to prove himself to his new promoter and the British public after the drama that unfolded during the Olympics.
It takes a lifetime of effort and belief to get to the Olympics and for Gavin to have got so close and not have competed would have been one of the darkest moments in his life. The bigger decision was deciding not to stay amateur and fight at London 2012.
He’ll be fighting at light welterweight a division brimming with talent and with many looking to make a name for themselves by putting him in his place, it’s called “the Amir Khan effect’. All three will have to be wary of what they say and do, and make sure that respect is shown until they can back it up.
Deadly DeGale
DeGale faces the biggest challenge out of all three because of the high standards he has set himself by winning gold at the Beijing Olympics .No British boxer who has won gold has gone on to lift a world title and the story of Audley Harrison has become more tragic than funny, hopefully DeGale won’t suffer the same fate.
DeGale has already managed to get himself caught up in a war or words with Joe Calzaghe and David Haye, something DeGale should steer clear of in his early professional bouts and under trainer Jim McDonnell, DeGale has a trainer who will hopefully keep his man in check. For DeGale to succeed he should worry less about the politics and more about the boxing, leave anything else to Frank Warren, that’s what James is paying him for.
Saunders sensation
Billy Joe Saunders is the loose cannon amongst the three while the aforementioned DeGale and Gavin have already made names for themselves Saunders had been getting noticed for all the wrong reasons. Sent home from the Olympic camp for alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’, Saunders has the most natural talent out of the three and is the youngest at 19. Having witnessed him fight and train whilst an amateur I think Frank Warren has made a very shrewd signing. He would have well aware of his history, but at 19 knows Saunders can be moulded and made into a future welterweight champion.