Liam Davies: European super-bantamweight champion set for 'biggest fight of life' for IBO title
- Published
Liam Davies has won seven of his 15 fights by knock-out
European super-bantamweight champion Liam Davies said he is preparing for the "biggest fight of my life" as he attempts to win an IBO title in Birmingham on Saturday.
Davies takes on Mexico's Erik Robles Ayala for the belt in his latest step towards a potential showdown with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.
Japan's Inoue holds all four of the major governing bodies' belts - the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
Davies, 27, is unbeaten in 15 fights.
The Telford boxer beat Italy's Vincenzo La Femina in November in the second successful defence of his European crown to set up the shot at Ayala's International Boxing Organisation title.
"He's a very good boxer," Davies told BBC Radio Shropshire.
"He's 23, he's full of ambition himself, just like me, so I expect a tough night. He's been sparring the pound for pound champion Inoue so he's gonna be full of confidence."
Ayala has lost once in his 15-fight professional career but has won his last nine bouts and returns to the UK for the first time since winning the IBO title in July last year, when he unanimously out-pointed Scotland's Lee McGregor in Edinburgh.
"The last time he came to these shores he picked up a good win but it's up to me to make sure that this time's different and I'm going to," Davies said.
"I've been training hard, I've put myself through it and I can't see how anyone would want it more than myself."
Davies said it was "crazy" to think about what he has achieved so far in his career but hopes his success will inspire others from the region to do the same.
"It's not just a win for me but the family, the gym, the community and I'm super excited because this one seems bigger than just a win for myself," he said.
"Telford has been great to me, the people always come to support me, I've always been respected like that. People pay their hard-earned money to come and watch me so Telford lies in a deep place in my heart. I hope it shows to all the young boxers that come through or from this area that anything's possible in life."
Although chasing a fight with undisputed king Inoue is the number-one target for Davies, he is open to a potential move up a division to featherweight if that doesn't happen.
"I've always took each fight as it comes and I'm gonna carry on doing that and if the big one (Inoue) comes after that, it'd be great," he added. "Other than that I don't see any other option than moving up and chasing titles there.
"I'm looking forward to the biggest fight of my life."
Davies is part of a seven-fight card at the Resorts World Arena that is headlined by Nathan Heaney's first defence of his British Middleweight title against fellow Englishman Brad Pauls.
The Stoke fighter, 34, is chasing a potential world title shot at two-belt champion Janibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan, and has said the stakes for him going into Saturday's contest are "massive".
Heaney is hoping any such fight with Alimkhanuly can take place in his home city, ideally at Stoke City's Bet365 Stadium.
Liam Davies was speaking to BBC Radio Shropshire's Mark Elliott.
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- Published11 January
