THE overjoyed father of Olympic gold medal boxer James DeGale told last night how his son nearly became a DANCER.

James, 22, won Team GB's 19th gold in a brutal and close battle with Cuban Emilio Correa Bayeaux in Beijing.

The delighted fighter said afterwards: "I'm Olympic champion. I'm in the history books."

But dad Leroy revealed James only took up the sport after becoming a real-life Billy Elliot at stage school.

Leroy, 51, said: "I don't think James will thank me for telling you he went to stage school where he liked to act and dance.

"James has always loved dance, whether it's jazz, tap, modern or disco. He has very nimble feet which is what you need for a dancer.

"He has always had lots of energy so dancing was perfect for him when he was younger. I suppose his story is like Billy Elliot-but in reverse."

James went to the Barbara Speake Stage School in Acton, west London, with sister Eloise. Leroy recalled: "He went there for two years and appeared in several plays. He left normal school because we decided to pull him out as he was going down the wrong road and we wanted to nip it in the bud.

"We took that decision as a family but even when we put him in the stage school he wanted to box.

James started boxing when he was aged 11-and left stage school two years later.

Leroy said: "His grandad Charlie Street took him to a boxing club for the first time and he's never looked back.

But I would have been proud of my son whatever road he'd gone down."

Leroy revealed it was not only James who won handsomely yesterday-he won a bet that his son would take the gold medal. He said: "At the beginning of the tournament James was 80/1 to win even though I thought he was a clear favourite. I steamed into that bet.

"As soon as I get the chance I'm going to walk into the bookies and stand in the middle of the shop.

"I'll then start shouting, 'The bookies have taken a beating.' I'm not saying how much I won but it's more than £100 and less than £100,000."

Leroy also revealed the family, including James' mother Diane and his girlfriend Stephanie, were too nervous to watch the fight live. He said: "My wife only ever saw my son fight once and that was the last time. She took every blow for him that day and she vowed never to go back.

"She can only watch a recording of the fight.

"James phoned his mum after the fight to tell her he'd won and was over the moon.

"He knew he could win the Olympic gold. He never had any doubts about that. He's a very confident boy." James, of Harlesden, North London, was a trainee plumber- getting up at 5am every day-until three years ago. That was when funding increased, allowing him to dedicate more time to boxing.

Leroy recalled: "He would be up very early in the morning, working all day then in the gym at night.

"If the funding continues he would love to be a double Olympic champion and win another gold in London, his home town.

"I'm not sure if he wants to turn professional, we're just enjoying the moment." James has praised his family for keeping him on the straight and narrow when he could have become a troublemaker.

On his website, he writes: "I questioned what I was doing and whether the company of friends could be better than training four or five times a week.

"I know that the support would not be there if I had decided to live up to the label, 'he's trouble'.

"So the advice I would give to all young people is find out what your passion is and what you're good at and stick at it."