Pro-Boxer Frankie Monkhouse Previews this Weekend’s Boxing Action: Big time boxing returns to terrestrial TV this weekend as channel five bring us all of the action from Bluewater’s Glow in Kent, starting at 10pm. Heavyweight sensation Hughie Fury gets his latest run out but all eyes will be on James DeGale as the 27-year-old Londoner aims to defend his WBC Silver strap and move a step closer to a clash with Australian Sakio Bika who owns the WBC proper.
Old rival George Groves may be the talk of the town at the minute but James “Chunky” DeGale will go some way to confirming his reputation as a genuine title challenger if he can deal with opponent Dyah Davis in an impressive fashion. The American challenger has lost only three of 26 fights to date, one against Bika, a 10th round stoppage in June, but if the Englishman can do things a tad more convincingly, it would shoot him up the rankings and into the picture for major honours. The 6ft southpaw boxer brings a CV of 16 wins against that one famous reverse to city rival Groves back in 2011 and has halted each of his last two before the end of the fourth round.
Bookmakers seem keen to keep the Brit at distance and punters will find a home win at no more than 888Sport’s 1/5 call, although there’s as short as 1/8 in places. DeGale has won four of his last seven on the judges’ scorecards and another points win is priced up at 11/10 with Bwin. He has 11 KO wins on his record and 10 of those have come inside the first five rounds. Five of those have fallen in the first two rounds, and round betting may be the way to eek some value out of this one. DeGale in round one is 22/1 (bwin) while round two is 16/1 (bwin).
Odds compilers at Ladbrokes may have chalked up Florida’s Dyah Davis as a 5/1 also ran but the 32-year-old orthodox boxer knows coming to England and upsetting the odds would throw him straight back towards the top table. He boasts 22 wins, 10 by KO from 26 outings, with defeat coming against some talented operators. The modestly named “Ali” recovered from that loss at the fists of Bika with a third round TKO of veteran light-heavyweight Antwun Echols. However, if he’s going to turn the tables here, a bet on a points win looks the way forward with five of his last seven going the distance. Davis impressing the judges will net you a bulky 11/1 (bwin).
Davis has been up against decent opposition during his career but it’s nothing to get excited about and I’m with the traders in giving him little hope, especially in his first fight outside of America. DeGale is a tidy southpaw who will use his accurate jab to keep his opponent off guard and thinking. He has plenty of bite in his punches too and with Davis being so far from home, up against a vocal support and a talented opponent, it shouldn’t be long before he realises he’s in over his head. I fancy DeGale to get the job done inside eight rounds.
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