Junior featherweight Liam Davies and fellow unbeaten contender Shabaz Masoud will lock horns on Saturday on the Resorts World Area, 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 attributable to a virus.
Now match and wholesome, Davies intends to make a press release after some discord between the 2 camps.
“It’s struggle No. 17, it’s the proper struggle 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 those who he’s with they usually manner they’ve gone about it. It’s finished 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 should 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 crushed everybody put in entrance of him to this point. I really feel like that is his large step up now. He’s going to should 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 approach to discover out.
“He’s bought a very good staff behind him and good set of abilities however at this stage one or two bins ticking isn’t sufficient, you’ve bought to have a little bit of all the pieces. Particularly strength-wise, not even punching energy, I don’t assume bodily he’s proven a lot energy. He bought bullied by the Colombian, [Jose Sanmartin] who I simply noticed bought beat by the American [Elijah Pierce.] The lad he fought [Marvin Solano] once we had been meant to struggle simply bought banjo’d by Brad Strand, who I don’t imagine is a giant puncher. However on the evening that’s the one approach to discover out.”
Curiously 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 had been 13, 14 and one once we had been 17, a very long time in the past,” he recalled. “They attempt to make out he battered me however he gained on cut up determination. I don’t know anybody that bought battered and misplaced on a cut up determination, do you? They discuss crap. It’s a very long time in the past and it’s completely different struggle 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. Lots 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 gained British, Commonwealth and European titles and at the moment wears the lesser-regarded IBO title (not acknowledged by The Ring).
Davies feels he’s able to face the very best not simply in his division but in addition in boxing.
“I need to go to Japan, that’s my focus. There’s nothing else for me within the division, I’ve gained all the pieces, I’ve surrender titles for those who don’t need to struggle me,” he stated with a playful dig at unbeaten Dennis McCann, who has collected his outdated titles. “After this struggle except one thing is large in Saudi or Japan, possibly I’ll transfer up as a result of I’ve achieved all the pieces at this weight. The one factor I haven’t is combating Inoue.
“[The Ring and undisputed champion Naoya] Inoue is the very best and I’ve finished this from a younger lad and all the time got down to be the very best so, I’d simply admire and be very grateful at my shot and switch as much as give it all the pieces. He’s a terrific champion however I simply really feel like I’m a terrific boxer, I hit arduous and I give myself a terrific shot though folks make out you aint, whenever you’ve finished it all of your life why would you desire a shot at the very best.”
Although cautions he would additionally entertain a transfer up in weight if the struggle isn’t forthcoming.
“I’m not going to attend round eternally, I’m by myself journey,” he stated. “I really feel like I’ve bought a very good probability to win world titles at featherweight as nicely.
“I might go up and are available again down. If you struggle and who you struggle is out of my management. I don’t ask questions of when, I simply ask to get out as quickly as potential. 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 yr and he’s tied up with fights. It doesn’t look very probably 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, shall be broadcast on TNT Sports activities at 7:00 p.m. GMT.
Questions and/or feedback will be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
