LATE-NOTICE merchant Ishmael Davis is set to strike again, as a withdrawal from Louis Greene has seemingly presented him with a British title shot against Sam Gilley.
The equally intriguing matchup has been approved by the British Boxing Board of Control, keeping the vacant Lonsdale Belt at 154lbs up for grabs while, at the same time, an official announcement is yet to emerge.
Nevertheless, it would appear that Greene, 17-4 (11 KOs), who was supposed to collide with Gilley, 18-1 (9 KOs), on June 7, has ruled himself out of their contest.
The pair locked horns in a thrilling encounter back in 2023, and despite multiple attempts to run it back, it seems that their rematch remains frustratingly elusive.
According to the Board’s latest circular, though, Gilley is nonetheless gearing up for a British title clash at Portman Road – the home of Ipswich Town Football Club – on the undercard of Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni.
Since outpointing Greene, the 30-year-old has had just one outing – a fourth-round stoppage victory over Jack McGann – amid a lack of inactivity in recent years.
Davis, 13-2 (6 KOs), on the other hand, enjoyed a far more productive 2024 following his unanimous decision victory over Troy Williamson at the start of that year.
Despite taking the fight on short notice, ‘The Black Panther’ then produced a titanic effort in his majority decision defeat to Josh Kelly, before suffering a sixth-round stoppage loss – following another late call-up – to world-level contender Serhii Bohachuk.
And while he was supposed to return to action earlier this year, an injury to the 30-year-old ultimately meant that Caoimhin Agyarko stepped up to face Ryan Kelly instead.
Davis, however, is now set to resume his role as one of boxing’s most trusted late replacements, with his showdown against Gilley looking likely to take place.
