James DeGale has had his worst fears confirmed about trainer Jim McDonnell thanks to the big freeze - and discovered his masochism knows no match.
While pampered Premiership footballers put their feet up midweek with a string of big games postponed because of the snow and ice, Olympic gold medallist DeGale was doing his early morning roadwork in sub-zero temperatures in preparation for his London homecoming on Frank Warren's Night of the Champions show live on Sky Sports.
And with the cold snap worsening over the weekend, DeGale will be out on the roads once again whatever the weather may bring.
"I'd heard that Jimmy was a psycho trainer before I went to his gym," said southpaw sensation DeGale, who will make his London debut on February 13 at Wembley Arena, just a stone's throw from where he was born.
"Things have been tough in my first year as a professional, but the work I've put in during the last few days has been something else.
"Tuesday night we had loads of snow in north London, and I thought on Wednesday morning I'd get a lie in because there was no way I could get to the gym.
"But I was woken up at 5am by Jimmy, who'd battled the blizzards to make it round to my house to make sure I did my roadwork.
"And we were out running in the dark with the snow coming down all around us even though I'd have been better off in ice skates than running shoes.
"This weekend he's got more runs in the snow planned - even if the temperature drops to -20.
"I hear that it's colder here than in Antarctica at the moment, but that's not stopping Jimmy, and by the time I get to fight at Wembley it's going to be a case of The Iceman Cometh!
"The man is a complete psycho when it comes to training, but I'll be thanking him when all the hard work pays off and I become a world champion."
DeGale, still only 23, will have his sixth fight at Wembley Arena having won all of his first five outings as a professional, three by stoppage.
