Ohara Davies plays down 'bad blood' with Josh Taylor

Josh Taylor (left) is undefeated in nine bouts as a pro and is managed by Barry McGuigan, while Matchroom's Ohara Davies has won all 15 of his fights

Super-lightweight Ohara Davies feels Josh Taylor is acting out of character with his abusive comments towards him.

The undefeated pair have exchanged obscenities on social media in the run-up to their so-called "Bad Blood" title contest at Braehead Arena on 8 July.

But Londoner Davies, 25, played down the hostility that continued at their media conference in Glasgow this week.

"He's been told to sell the fight. I don't blame him for any of his antics," said the WBC Silver title holder.

"I'm a cool guy. I believe that you live and you learn. I've been wild but now it's just about going to the gym, enjoying camp, enjoying the fight night. This isn't nothing, really. It's just business for me.

"Social media is good to sell the fight. I'm not trying to sell the fight, I'm just trying to be me.

"I was a lot more arrogant in my last fight. For this fight I'm in a whole different mood."

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Davies refused to react to the four-letter taunts from Commonwealth champion Taylor, 26, when they came face to face in a Glasgow hotel to promote next month's bout.

At one point, Shane McGuigan-trained Taylor tried to remove Davies' sunglasses and the East Lothian fighter later told BBC Scotland he could "detect fear" in the Englishman's eyes.

However, Davies played it down at the event, though reverted to online abuse later in the day.

"I know that's not him," said Davies, who is trained by Tony Sims.

"I know that he's been told to sell the fight and all that stuff, taking off my glasses and trying to provoke me. If I really got to know him, he'll be a cool guy. I'm not going to be angry.

"I make of him what I've always made of him. He's a good fighter and on 8 July, we're going to have a good fight.

"This definitely will be my toughest fight so far - well, I hope it is. My past two fights, I found them quite easy and I want a real challenge. I want to go in there with someone that's got the capabilities of beating me. That's what we're in the game for."

Davies defeated Italy's Andrea Scarpa over 12 rounds at Wembley last November to win the WBC Silver belt and in March took three rounds to dispose of Derry Mathews, again in London.