Liam Davies exclusive: This weekend I will put an end to it
It is safe to say that Liam Davies can’t wait for the opening bell to start his IBO super bantamweight title fight with Shabaz Masoud on Saturday night. For all the latest fight odds, visit our sportsbook.
“It’s like being a young kid, counting down the days till Christmas. That’s what it’s like,” Davies, 16-0 (8 KOs), told 32Red.
Davies and Masoud have been rivals for years.
“I’m going in as champion”
They met twice as amateurs – with Masoud winning both encounters – and they were due to renew hostilities in July but Davies was forced to withdraw through illness. On Saturday night, the two will finally cross swords again and Davies is determined to end the rivalry once and for all.
The 28-year-old from Donnington is also looking forward to reminding people exactly why he has been one of British boxing’s most exciting fighters of the past couple of years.
“This weekend I will put an end to it. They’re going to wish he had stayed two nil up in the amateurs and forgot about it,” he said.
“Boxing’s a funny game isn’t it? You remind everyone, they forget and it comes to a few months after and you get to remind everyone again.
“I’m looking forward to it and I’m going in as a champion.”
“I’ve been more dedicated in the gym”
Davies is a big super bantamweight and although Masoud will be taking some comfort in his amateur victories, Davies thinks that he will also be banking on him struggling to get his frame down to 122lbs.
The illness that caused the fight to be postponed means that Davies hasn’t boxed since he knocked out Mexico’s Erik Robles to win the IBO title in March. Davies certainly hasn’t been idle. He has spent months working away in the gym and insists that he will be in the perfect condition to prove a point this weekend.
“Do you know what’s funny, after like the fight with Robles, obviously they offered me this. I said ‘Yeah’ and maybe I was thinking about moving up in weight after this one. It’s weird isn’t it? It’s probably the easiest I’ve made the weight,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to showing it and that just shows my hard work. I’ve been turning up to the gym since I won that title. I’ve been much more dedicated and want to improve and been putting the work in happily.
“I felt like I had to level up”
“I’ve got a bit of a chip on my shoulder and trying to be better 1% every day. Being the only world champion in the gym I felt like I had to level up and set an example.”
Davies relishes proving people wrong. During his time on the sidelines, other fighters like Dennis McCann and Peter McGrail have tried to claimed their share of the super bantamweight spotlight but Davies is in no mood to share it. He believes that his body of work proves that he is the clear leader.
“I’ve been consistent now. I’m not here to prove anything to anyone really,” he said.
“I’m just here doing what I do and like I say, people that know their boxing know that I’m the man and no one could say otherwise.”
Davies has had this weekend’s show built around him. He started on the undercard of low profile, small hall shows and worked away until he became a headliner. Once he signed with Queensberry, he followed the same path and proved himself worthy of a place on bigger bills. Davies has been a stalwart of Queensberry’s popular, packed ‘Magnificent Seven’ cards but, this weekend, he is the star of the show.
“I expect this to be my best performance”
It is a promotion he feels more than ready for and he is absolutely determined that Masoud isn’t going to spoil it.
“Yeah, definitely. I was headlining a few years ago and then I’ve been on the undercards and it was annoying me a bit because I felt like I’ve deserved this for a long time,” he said.
“Now I’ve got it, I’m not going to mess it up.
“I expect this to be my best performance, my most spiteful performance and I can’t see it going any other way than me getting him.
“He’s hoping that’s all. He’s got his little cronies telling him, ‘You can do it’ but this week things are going to get real and it’s going to be me and him in there on Saturday night.
“Unfortunately he’s the one that’s got to get in the opposite corner to me in front of the bright lights and I’m going to run through him. Trust me.”
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