Victory keeps DeGale in line for title shot

James DeGale stayed on course for a world title shot with a wide points victory over Dyah Davis.

Making the second defence of his WBC silver title, the Harlesden super-middleweight dominated most of the fight at Glow, Bluewater, with all three judges scoring it 118-110 in his favour.

DeGale controlled the first half of the bout, stinging Davis with a crisp left in the second round and reasserting himself with a similar shot in the fourth.

Davis, a defensive fighter who was stopped in the 10th round by the WBC’s world champion Sakio Bika last year, managed to frustrate the Olympic gold medallist at times.

A week before his arch-rival and fellow West Londoner George Groves challenges world champion Carl Froch, DeGale desperately wanted to win in style and show he is ready to mix it at the top level.

He enjoyed a good fifth, hurting Davis with heavy shots, before effectively bringing his right jab into play in the following round.

But Davis then had a decent spell, with a straight right leaving DeGale with a bloodied nose and appearing to break up his momentum.

He responded by stepping up a gear against a man who had never before been beyond the 10th round. A chopping left to the jaw and a crunching shot to the body stopped Davis in his tracks.

Aware he was well ahead going into the final round, DeGale’s showboating saw him land with a number of eye-catching shots in the closing stages.

Now, however, begins the serious business of securing a world title challenge, with promoter Mick Hennessy under pressure from the DeGale camp to deliver in the new year.

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