BBC Sport: Olympics blog

Beijing Workers' Gymnasium

For those of us wondering what effect the last 48 hours have had on the British Olympic boxing team, James "Chunky" DeGale gave a forthright response: never mind Frankie Gavin, it's now about the seven of us still here.

Not that DeGale was dismissing Gavin's plight or passing any kind of judgement on the events surrounding his controversial return home.

No, the ebullient Londoner, still swaggering after his impressive first-round victory over Mohamed Hikal, was quite justifiably stating the bleeding obvious. "We're all gutted for Frankie," said DeGale when asked about his team-mate's surprise failure to make the weight in the 60kg division. "But this is the greatest show on earth, it's time to focus on the rest of us."

As attempts go to wrestle the limelight back from events in Britain (where the early arrival of one of Team GB's best medal prospects has prompted a 15-round tear-up of blame-gaming) DeGale's wasn't bad at all.

The middleweight started a little slowly, losing the first round 3-2 to his Egyptian opponent, but he settled down in the second and started to use his obvious advantages in reach and speed.

A couple of big rights in the second helped the 22-year-old to a 5-3 lead at the next bell and it was plain sailing from there. The final score was 13-4, a healthy margin against a former African champion and world bronze medallist.

"I'm pleased because (Hikal) has been around, he's halfway decent, you know, OK, but not the best," said Degale, still bouncing on his toes.

"I got the flow in the last couple of rounds, I got the rhythm. But there is more to come.

"To be honest, I could have boxed better but I was a bit nervous - I was the first up (from the British team) and this is the Olympics!

"But if I box properly I could get to the finals. I know I can, I feel it."

Terry Edwards, the British team's head coach, agreed with his fighter and said the improvement after the first round was down to DeGale "starting to listen". But then all coaches say that.

What we wanted to know is if Gavin listened too. On that subject Edwards, who turns 65 on Sunday, was less forthcoming.

It is clear to all that the coach, his staff and the fighters are desperate to concentrate minds on the job in hand and deal with the Gavin inquest when they get home, hopefully with a few medals.

So Edwards reiterated his disappointment his star lightweight is no longer here, restated his case that all that could have been was done, and asked that we start to talk about Chunky again.

The coach knows his position is under threat - there were rumblings about "governance" and continued funding before this team even left the UK - but his devotion to his fighters during campaign season has never been questioned.

He did, however, have this to say about the criticism directed at him in the British media.

"It depends on who is doing the criticising," he said pointedly. "If they are in my top-10 of boxing wisdom then I might be more concerned..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence, the message was clear.

What was more revealing was DeGale's unprompted (by us, anyway) praise for Edwards and the British set-up. He also said he never has any problems with the scales - "I just listen to the dieticians and nutritionists and I make the weight, cushty."

But he admitted the camp did need a lift after Gavin-gate and the tough draws most of the team were handed on Friday, him included.

DeGale does not lack for confidence (his problem is consistency, not quality) but he acknowledged he has a brutal path to the medal rounds.

The American Shawn Estrada awaits in the next round but DeGale's confidence is buoyed by the knowledge he has beaten another American who has recently beat Estrada.

But if he gets past him there is the small matter of Russia's brilliant Matvei Korobov in the last eight. The world champion looked in great touch in the first bout at the Workers' Gymnasium, outclassing Swede Naim Terbunja.

"My final is probably the quarter-final," confessed DeGale, before quickly adding that "on his day" he can beat anyone, as the scalp of reigning Olympic champion Bakhtyar Artayev would suggest.

It was at this point Edwards chipped in again with some more praise for his fighter, "this is a connoisseur of boxing", he told us.

He will need to be to beat Korobov but he could definitely do it. Not the most technical boxer in the world, DeGale's athleticism and awkwardness give him real hope here.

I also wonder if his draw is as hard as Joe Murray's: the bantamweight must fight Chinese hope Yu Gu in the first round.

The 21-year-old Murray, who told me last month he wants to win gold here and defend it in London, beat him on his way to a superb bronze at the 2007 World Championships.

But beating a Chinese boxer in Chicago is not the same as beating a Chinese boxer in Beijing.

I've experienced some intimidating/inspiring (depends which side you're on) atmospheres at sports events in this job but the support a half-full Workers' Gymnasium gave their middleweight Jianzheng Wang was something to behold.

Wang scrapped his way to an ugly 3-1 win over a gritty Ukrainian and the Chinese went nuts. I can't wait to be here when the rest of the workers knock off.

Murray will have to show heart and quality. He's got both but it is still a mighty challenge.

But let's leave that for Tuesday. The message today is it ain't about "Funtime" Frankie anymore, the British boxing challenge has started and it's time to get serious.