Junior featherweight Liam Davies and fellow undefeated contender Shabaz Masoud will lock horns at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, England on Saturday.
Davies, ranked No. 5 by The Ring as a junior featherweight, was due to face his domestic rival in the summer only for those plans to be put on hold due to a virus.
Davies, now fit and healthy, aims to make a statement after some disagreement between the two camps.
“This is fight no. 17, it’s the perfect fight for me, another undefeated opponent and one I’m very confident of winning,” Davies (16-0, 8 KOs) told The Ring.
“I wouldn’t really say between me and Shabaz, it’s the people he’s with and the way they’ve gone about it. It’s in my head. These are just messages. That’s how they went about it and to me they crossed the line. So poor Shabaz is going to have to take the punishment for that.”
That’s not to say, however, that Davies doesn’t recognize the potential danger he faces.
“Yes, he’s good, I’m not going to discredit him if he wasn’t good,” said Davies. “He is undefeated, he has beaten everyone who has been put in front of him so far. I feel this is his big step up now. He will have to be better than he has shown. He’s a good boxer, he’s sharp. I don’t think he’s the strongest but there’s only one way to find out.
“He has a good team behind him and a good set of skills, but at this level one or two boxes is not enough, you have to have a bit of everything. Especially power-wise, not even hitting power, I don’t think physically he showed a lot of power. He was bullied by the Colombian, (Jose Sanmartin) who I just saw beaten by the American (Elijah Pierce). The guy he was fighting (Marvin Solano) when we were meant to fight, he just got beat up by Brad Strand, who I don’t believe is a big puncher. But at night it’s the only way to find out.”
Interestingly and adding another intrigue and storyline to the proceedings, the two met twice in the amateurs in their teenage years.
“Yeah, one when we were 13, 14 and one when we were 17, a long time ago,” he recalled. “They tried to make out he beat me, but he won on a split decision. I don’t know anyone who abused and lost on a split decision, do you? They talk shit. That was a long time ago and it’s different now. Everyone keeps asking me about it and it’s so irrelevant. The boy they were fighting then would never have been in this position that I am now. Much has changed. I hope he doesn’t take too much because he’s going to have a big shock on November 2.”
The 28-year-old has previously won British, Commonwealth and European titles and currently holds the lesser regarded IBO title (not recognized by The Ring).
Davies feels he is ready to take on the best, not only in his division, but in boxing as well.
“I want to go to Japan, that’s my focus. There’s nothing else for me in the division, I’ve won everything, I’ve given up titles to those who don’t want to fight me,” he said with a playful dig at the undefeated Dennis McCann, who his old titles. “After this fight, unless something big happens in Saudi or Japan, maybe I’ll move up because I’ve achieved everything at this weight. The only thing I don’t have is fighting Inoue.
“(The Ring and undisputed champion Naoya) Inoue is the best and I’ve been doing this since I was a young boy and always set out to be the best, so I’ll just appreciate it and be very grateful for my chance and show up to to give it all. He’s a great champion, but I just feel like I’m a great boxer, I hit hard and I give myself a good chance even if people make out that you’re not, if you’ve been doing it your whole life, why do you want a shot the best.”
Although he cautions, he will also entertain a move in weight if the fight is not forthcoming.
“I’m not going to wait forever, I’m on my own journey,” he said. “I feel I have a good chance to win world titles at featherweight as well.
“I could go up and come back. When you fight and who you fight is out of my control. I’m not asking questions of when, I’m just asking to get out as soon as possible. You get one chance at boxing, I don’t wait for anyone, I write my own story. I was ready this year and he is tied up with fights. It doesn’t seem very likely, but you never know, Sam Goodman or someone moves out, I’ll be ready. For me, I beat (Inoue), I’m the man.”
Masoud (13-0, 4 KOs) turned professional in 2018. The Englishman initially went down the small hall route before impressing the powers that be and fighting on Matchroom and later Queensberry Promotions. The 28-year-old slickster holds wins over previously undefeated Jack Bateson (TKO 12) and gatekeeper Jose Sanmartin (SD 10).
Davies-Masoud, plus undercard action, will air on TNT Sports at 19:00 GMT.
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at (email protected).
