James DeGale believes he is winning the public over after suffering a hostile reaction to his first professional fight at the start of the year.

The 2008 Olympic middleweight gold medallist was harshly criticised by fight fans after joining the paid ranks to much fanfare only to produce a lacklustre debut performance in Birmingham in February.

However, the 23-year-old Londoner has shown aggression and style in his three subsequent fights, with last night's third-round stoppage of Ally Morrison following two first-round blow outs.

DeGale was stung by the booing and jeering which followed him around for a spell after that points win in his first contest without a headguard and vest but believes he is now bringing people on side.

He said:

"Most definitely, you could see it in my last performance in Manchester. I've got to be winning them over because of the job I'm doing in the ring. I knew I would eventually.

"Honestly, the more I look back at my first performance I think 'Oh my god, it was bad' but I've had to learn.

"I'm learning well now and it's like I'm wishing away my life because I want to box for titles. Frank (Warren, promoter) has said next year. But to be honest I'd box a 12-rounder for my next fight."

DeGale went into the contest against unbeaten novice Morrison (2-0-1) aiming to make it three first-round stoppages in a row and, while he failed to do that, it was another accomplished performance.

He landed hard shots throughout while hardly taking a punch before stepping up the assault with a series of clubbing left hooks to bring about an early finish.

"I said the professional game was going to suit me and it is," DeGale added.

"It's taken me a bit of time, obviously, and it will, of course, because I've had to start afresh. But I'm feeling great.

"I've already sparred the best in the country domestically and that's in my first year and I've held my own. I know where I'm going, Jim McDonnell (trainer) knows where I'm going.

"I train hard and that's what it comes down to."

DeGale's fellow rookie, former world amateur champion Frankie Gavin, continued his perfect start to life as a professional with a second-round stoppage win over veteran Steve Saville.

The Birmingham southpaw admits even he has been surprised by his newly-discovered punching power.

After making it four stoppage wins from four, Gavin told Press Association Sport: "It was good, I showed I'm punching harder with every fight and just improving generally.

"As an amateur I never went to punch (powerfully) so going professional I didn't know if I could punch hard enough.

"Now, in sparring I'm starting to realise I can punch a bit and it's four wins, four knockouts and no-one would have said I'd get that.

"At the end of the day it's not the knockouts that matter it's just the wins and I've won every fight as a pro so far and that's all I want to keep going."

On the top of the bill challenger Paul Smith won a gruelling split decision over Liverpool rival Tony Quigley to take the British super-middleweight title.

The pre-fight build-up had a particularly nasty edge to it but Smith insists it was blown out of proportion.

"I think it was," he said. "But if you don't hate him, you don't fight each other like that. You can't go and fight someone you like."