Years of rivalry will come to a head on Saturday night time when tremendous bantamweight rivals Liam Davies and Shabaz Masoud meet at Birmingham’s Resorts World Enviornment.
The pair have been tied collectively since their beginner days. Masoud gained each of their unpaid conferences however knowledgeable conflict at all times appeared inevitable. Since they agreed to combat earlier this yr, there have been delays, arguments and hostility.
Formally, Davies’ IBO title is on the road however this can be a combat which doesn’t want a title connected to it. The 2 fighters appear solely centered on one another and on bringing their lengthy operating feud to a conclusive end.
The best way the fighters conduct themselves outdoors of the ring completely matches the way in which they method their enterprise inside it. Davies, 16-0 (8 KOs), is a assured, fiery character who isn’t afraid of getting concerned in battle. Masoud, 13-0 (4 KOs), likes to maintain a cool head and go about his enterprise calmly.
The 28-year-old has shunned getting too concerned in the course of the varied media set items to advertise the combat and is happy that the speaking is now over.
“It’s been a pleasant build-up. To be sincere, the build-up to fights by no means get to me. I’m simply centered on the job and all I care about is Saturday,” Masoud stated on Thursday.
“What’s the purpose? No matter getting concerned with the group or all these different antics, whatever the scenario, we’re preventing on Saturday. I’ve centered on the job for the previous six months.
“Anybody who is aware of me is aware of that I don’t want no person. I can do it by myself. On Saturday, it’s going to be me and him, man.”
Davies has been on a tear not too long ago. He has streaked by the junior featherweight division, gathering British and European titles and climbing the world rankings. In March, he appeared higher than ever when blowing away the revered Mexican, Erik Ayala, inside two rounds. He has warned folks to not be stunned if Masoud goes the identical method.
Masoud has turned in a single or two inconsistent performances however he has but to indicate any severe weaknesses relating to his sturdiness or skill to take a shot. He has no concept what Davies has seen to steer him to attract such a conclusion however isn’t paying it an excessive amount of thoughts. As an alternative, he’s centered on capitalizing on the failings he has seen in Davies’ model and making an actual identify for himself this weekend.
“I don’t know what it’s however that doesn’t hassle me. I’ve heard it earlier than, folks saying I’m going to do that to you or try this to you. We’ll see on Saturday,” he stated.
“Being doubted brings out the perfect in me. That’s the one factor I like about this combat. Once I do beat him, everyone seems to be giving me my respect.
“My complete life, folks have thought, ‘He ain’t gonna do that. He ain’t gonna try this.’ Guess what? I went and executed it.
“The primary focus for me is to beat him on Saturday. Don’t get me incorrect, he’s a great fighter and he’s obtained plenty of strengths however he’s obtained weaknesses as nicely in his sport and I am gonna exploit them.”
John Evans has contributed to quite a lot of well-known publications and web sites for over a decade. You may observe John on X @John_Evans79
