By Carlos Boogs

IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale (22-1, 14KOs) had some choice words for promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport.

The first British Olympic gold medal winner to capture a world title is defending his belt for the second time on Saturday night in Washington, DC against Rogelio Medina (36-6) of Mexico. The fight will be televised on Showtime.

DeGale claims to have left Hearn and says the promoter is bitter because of the boxer's ongoing business relationship with manager/adviser Al Haymon.

DeGale signed with Haymon not long after traveling to America last May to capture the world title with a decision win over Andre Dirrell in Boston.

Haymon outbid Hearn to win the DeGale-Dirrell purse bid. His company, Premier Boxing Champions, has been paying Dirrell quite a bit of money. Because of that fact, DeGale has not fought in the UK since November of 2014.

Hearn believes DeGale is hurting himself by not fighting in the UK for such a long time period.

"Listen, Eddie Hearn lost the purse bid. I got a million pounds and ended up signing with Al Haymon. He won the purse bid. He's willing to pay the money and look after his fighters. I'm getting the exposure I'm needing. I've been here 48 hours and I've already been stopped three times from people who want a picture, it's mad. My popularity and my profile is going through the roof," DeGale explained to BoxingScene.com's Declan Taylor.

"Don't listen to what Eddie says. Don't even start with Eddie. Eddie is just bitter because I left him. To be honest I have no contract. He's just bitter because he's got no say over me, he has no control over me and I don't lick his ass. I do like Eddie and we do get along. To be honest [because I left him] is why he's gone to Callum Smith real fast and why he's all over Callum Smith now. It's the next best thing. He never had me. He never had a signed contract with me, so it's his fault anyhow. "