DeGale out to prove a point against Davis
James DeGale intends to send out a message to the rest of the super-middleweight division when he faces Dyah Davis next month.
Harlesden’s Olympic gold medallist will defend his WBC Silver title against the 32-year-old at Glow, Bluewater, on 16 November.
The fight will take place a week before his arch-rival and fellow West Londoner George Groves challenges world champion Carl Froch.
DeGale is eager to fight the winner of that all-British clash, while WBO champion Robert Stieglitz and Sakio Bika, who holds the WBC title, have also been mooted as possible future opponents.
Davis was beaten by Bika last year so DeGale feels a more impressive victory against the American would underline his case for a world title chance.
He said: “I’m in a very good position at the moment.
“I’m ranked highly by all the world governing bodies and I’m hoping Mick Hennessy can get me a world title fight.
“It’s a strong division but I’m ready to step up and face anyone – and there are a couple of world champions who I don’t think are great.
“Robert Stieglitz is one of them and Bika especially is very beatable. He’s physically strong but not world-class in terms of ability – I think he’s the weakest of the champions.
“He’s got the WBC world title and with me being the WBC Silver champion and currently ranked highly by them, it’s maybe a fight that could happen.
“Then you’ve got Froch and Groves. I don’t care which of those wins, I just want to keep doing my thing and hopefully fight the winner.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m looking beyond Davis though, because I’m definitely not. He’s fought some decent guys and been in with Bika for an eliminator for the world title.
“In that fight he got stopped in the last round – the 10th round of a 10-rounder – and before that did pretty well.
“He also beat Marcus Johnson, who was unbeaten. He’s got a good pedigree and is someone I’ll need to be sharp to beat.
“I think he’ll give me a real test but what I want to do is go in there and look good against him.
“If I can do better against him than Bika did it would make a statement and show I’m ready for a world title fight.”
The bout will be DeGale’s third of 2013 and will mean a return to the same Kent venue where he easily beat Stjepan Bozic in June – three weeks after he had knocked out Sebastien Demers in Canada.
Prior to that he endured a frustrating period of inactivity, largely because of a dispute with his former promoter Frank Warren.
Now promoted by Hennessy, and having recovered from a troublesome knee problem, DeGale is hoping to take his career to the next level.
He said: “It’s an important time for me and to be honest I’ve said that before. I wanted 2012 to be my year and said the same in 2013.
“I had problems outside the ring and that has affected how things have gone in the ring.
“But Mick has promised he’ll deliver for me and it’s up to me to do my part and show people what I’m capable of.”
Tickets for DeGale v Davis are priced from £40 and are available from the Hennessy Sports Box Office on 01925 755 222, at http://hennessy.ticketline.co.uk or alternatively by contacting Tickeline.co.uk or on 0844 888 4402 or via Ticketmaster.co.uk or on 0844 847 2500.
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