degale5 By Scott Gilfoid: #4 WBO, #5 WBC, #7 IBF, #9 WBA, James DeGale (16-1, 11 KO’s) will be facing 2nd tier fighter Dyah Davis (22-3-1, 10 KO’s) next month on November 16th at then Glow, Bluewater, Greenhithe, Kent, United Kingdom. The 32-year-old Davis was stopped in the 10th round last year by Sakio Bika in a one-sided fight from start to finish.

DeGale wants to get a title shot, but it’s been slow going for him in trying to land one due to his ranking, and the fact that he’s not been taking any chances by facing any real dangerous opposition since his loss to George Groves in 2011.

DeGale likely would have fought for a world title a long time ago had he stepped it up against the top guys in the 168 lb. division, but he’s been content to face the likes of Stjepan Bozic, Sebastian Demers, Fulgencio Zuniga, Hadillah Mohoumadi, Cristian Sanavia and Piotr Wilczewski since his loss to Groves.

Fighting opposition like that has kept DeGale winning, but it’s also kept him from rising up quickly in the super middleweight rankings. I’m not sure why his promoters haven’t moved him up against the top guys, but I guess they have a plan for him by matching him against these types of fighters.

Dyah Davis’ claim to fame is his victories over Osumanu Adama, Marcus Johnson, Darnell Boone, Antwun Echols and Alfonso Lopez. That’s pretty much it. When Davis was pushed up a level by facing Bika last year in June, he failed miserably and was stopped.

This is the type of fighter that DeGale should have fought 2 years ago after his loss to Groves. Why he’s facing him now is unclear, but it kind of goes with the type of match-making that has been done for DeGale during his 4-year pro career. Davis fits in nicely with the guys that DeGale has been in with.

DeGale is hoping to face the winner of the November 23rd fight between Carl Froch and George Groves. I don’t see that happening, but that’s who DeGale is hoping to fight. I think DeGale is better off trying to get a fight against WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika. That’s a more realistic fight for him, but it’s also not a good match-up for him because of Bika’s power and unorthodox fighting style. DeGale would likely lose to Bika, but then again I don’t think DeGale would beat Groves, Carl Froch and definitely not Andre Ward.