By Scott Gilfoid: Super middleweight contender James DeGale (14-1, 9 KO’s) will continue his slow, slow trot to a title shot this Saturday night against journeyman Sebastien Demers (31-5, 11 KO’s) in a scheduled 8 round bout at the Hilton Lac Leamy, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
It’s been a year and a half since Demers last fought and he’s lost his last three fights and looked terrible in each one of them. He was knocked out by Renan St. Juste in 2 rounds in December 2010, and in three rounds in June of 2010. Demers was a pretty good fighter until he met up with Dionsio Miranda in 2008. He lost that fight by a 10 round decision and took a lot of punishment in that bout.
After that fight, he was matched against weak opposition for his next six fights until facing Brian Vera in 2010 and getting blown out in three rounds. In Demers’ last fight, he was beaten by Allan Green by a lopsided 10 round unanimous decision in November 2011.
It’s hard to understand why DeGale’s promoter Mick Hennessey doesn’t want to put him in with better opposition, but perhaps he’s worried that if he puts DeGale in with a live body he’ll get beaten and then lose his high rankings. DeGale is ranked #3 WBO, #5 WBC, #6 IBF, #14 WBA, and he hasn’t had to do much to get that ranking other beat a tiny handful of fringe contenders and a lot of European and domestic level opponents.
DeGale, 27, has a four fight winning streak since losing to George Groves in May of 2011. He’s beaten Piotr Wilczewski, Cristian Sanavia, Hadlillah and Fulgencio Zungia. Wilczewski and Hadillah gave DeGale all kinds of problems and he’s mighty lucky he won those fights because they were plenty close. In watching those fights,
I’m not surprised that DeGale’s promoter is putting him in with Demers instead of someone really good because I don’t think DeGale would beat anyone good at this point. He just looks too flawed and he fights in too much of a relaxed manner and he can be beaten.
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