LIAM DAVIES kept his composure despite attempts to unsettle him by supporters of Shabaz Masoud at todayโs final press conference.
The two super-bantamweights put their unbeaten records on the line in the Queensberry main event at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham. Davies will also defend his IBO super-bantamweight belt as he looks to continue the momentum that has seen him scale the world rankings at 122lbs.
Davies and Masoud already have history from their amateur days where the latter won the two times they fought. As things stand itโs Daviesโ career on the up and up while Masoud needs the scalp of the 28-year-old to further his own ambitions.
Saturday’s main event fighters didnโt engage in a back and forth earlier today. Masoud said little but someone from his team or a supporter decided to do something which caught the attention of Davies and annoyed him. It wasnโt long before Davies got involved in verbal exchanges with the culprit and their associates.
โYou were amateur boxers that never made it. Stop being sour,โ Davies said to them.
Prior to that host Dev Sahni had wondered if there was something deeper to the rivalry with Masoud.
โWeโre just chasing dreams,โ Davies answered.
โWeโve done this all our life. Other people get involved. Iโve been out with my wife, people have drove past shouting s**t at me. Itโs okay. I can take it. Saturday night youโre going to see the best of me. People shoutingโฆ this ainโt about you bro. This is your mateโs time. Sit there and enjoy it, buy your ticket. Thatโs it.”
Davies was asked by Sahni if Masoudโs friends had โtalked him into a beatingโ.
โItโs unfortunate for him, heโs gotta take it,โ he replied.
โI wish him all the best because trust me Iโm on a mission. Iโm fired up, ready to go. We done a lot of talking. The fightโs sold. Saturday night, canโt wait. And still. Liam Davies knockout.โ
Masoud, promoted by Matchroom, goes into the fight as an underdog with Davies the odds-on favourite to retain his belt.
โIโve always performed better when I was the underdog,โ the challenger said. โOne of the reasons why I started boxing was something to prove and this is another thing for me. I gotta prove everyone wrong.โ
As the two posed for pictures and a face-off you would have been forgiven for thinking the two fighters might engage in some pushing and shoving but instead Davies left Masoud with these words: โDonโt worry Iโll make it quick on Saturday.โ