Junior featherweight Liam Davies and fellow unbeaten contender Shabaz Masoud will lock horns on Saturday on the Resorts World Enviornment, Birmingham, England.
Davies, rated at No. 5 by The Ring at junior featherweight, had been scheduled to face his home rival in the summertime just for these plans to be shelved as a consequence of a virus.
Now match and wholesome, Davies intends to make an announcement after some discord between the 2 camps.
“It’s combat No. 17, it’s the proper combat for me, one other undefeated opponent and one I’m very assured in successful,” Davies (16-0, 8 knockouts) informed The Ring.
“I wouldn’t actually say between me and Shabaz, it’s the folks that he’s with and so they means they’ve gone about it. It’s accomplished my head in. It’s simply messaging. It’s the way in which they’ve gone about it and to me they’ve crossed the road. So poor Shabaz goes to need to take the punishment for it.”
Nevertheless, that’s to not say Davies doesn’t acknowledge the potential hazard he faces.
“Yeah, he’s good, I’m not going to discredit him if he was no good,” stated Davies. “He’s unbeaten, he’s overwhelmed everybody put in entrance of him to this point. I really feel like that is his large step up now. He’s going to need to be higher than what he’s proven. He’s a very good boxer, he’s sharp. I don’t assume he’s the strongest however there’s just one solution to discover out.
“He’s received a very good workforce behind him and good set of expertise however at this stage one or two packing containers ticking isn’t sufficient, you’ve received to have a little bit of every little thing. Particularly strength-wise, not even punching energy, I don’t assume bodily he’s proven a lot power. He received bullied by the Colombian, [Jose Sanmartin] who I simply noticed received beat by the American [Elijah Pierce.] The lad he fought [Marvin Solano] once we have been meant to combat simply received banjo’d by Brad Strand, who I don’t imagine is a giant puncher. However on the night time that’s the one solution to discover out.”
Apparently and including one other lay of intrigue and storyline to proceedings, the 2 met twice within the amateurs of their teenagers.
“Yeah, one once we have been 13, 14 and one once we have been 17, a very long time in the past,” he recalled. “They attempt to make out he battered me however he received on cut up resolution. I don’t know anybody that received battered and misplaced on a cut up resolution, do you? They discuss crap. It’s a very long time in the past and it’s completely different combat now. Everybody retains asking me about it and it’s so irrelevant. The lad they fought then would have by no means been on this place I’m now. Rather a lot has modified. I hope he doesn’t take an excessive amount of into it as a result of he’s going to have a giant shock on November 2.”
The 28-year-old has beforehand received British, Commonwealth and European titles and presently wears the lesser-regarded IBO title (not acknowledged by The Ring).
Davies feels he’s able to face the perfect not simply in his division but additionally in boxing.
“I need to go to Japan, that’s my focus. There’s nothing else for me within the division, I’ve received every little thing, I’ve hand over titles for those who don’t need to combat me,” he stated with a playful dig at unbeaten Dennis McCann, who has collected his previous titles. “After this combat except one thing is large in Saudi or Japan, possibly I’ll transfer up as a result of I’ve achieved every little thing at this weight. The one factor I haven’t is combating Inoue.
“[The Ring and undisputed champion Naoya] Inoue is the perfect and I’ve accomplished this from a younger lad and at all times got down to be the perfect so, I might simply respect and be very grateful at my shot and switch as much as give it every little thing. He’s an awesome champion however I simply really feel like I’m an awesome boxer, I hit laborious and I give myself an awesome shot although folks make out you aint, while you’ve accomplished it all of your life why would you need a shot at the perfect.”
Although cautions he would additionally entertain a transfer up in weight if the combat isn’t forthcoming.
“I’m not going to attend round endlessly, I’m by myself journey,” he stated. “I really feel like I’ve received a very good likelihood to win world titles at featherweight as effectively.
“I might go up and are available again down. Whenever you combat and who you combat is out of my management. I don’t ask questions of when, I simply ask to get out as quickly as doable. You get one go at boxing, I’m not ready round for no man, I’m writing my very own story. I’ve been prepared this 12 months and he’s tied up with fights. It doesn’t look very possible however you by no means know, Sam Goodman or somebody pulls out, I’ll be prepared. To me, I beat [Inoue], I’m the person.”
Masoud (13-0, 4 KOs) turned skilled in 2018. The Englishman initially went down the small corridor route earlier than impressing the powers that be and combating on Matchroom and laterly Queensberry Promotions. The 28-year-old slickster holds win over beforehand unbeaten Jack Bateson (TKO 12) and gatekeeper Jose Sanmartin (SD 10).
Davies-Masoud, plus undercard motion, will probably be broadcast on TNT Sports activities at 7:00 p.m. GMT.
Questions and/or feedback might be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
