By james art When Liam Davies and Shabaz Masoud do battle in Birmingham on Saturday, it will be a match made long ago in Shropshire.
On Saturday, at bp pulse LIVE (formerly the NEC), Davies’ IBO super bantamweight title – basically the unrecognized version of the world title – will be on the line.
Something has to give, too, as both Davies and Shabazz enter the ring boasting unbeaten records as professionals – a far cry from when they first met in their amateur days as members of rival Shropshire clubs.
Davies, 28, started out at Donington Boxing Club, founded by his grandfather and managed by his father Tristan.
Shabazz, also 28, started out at the Wellington Boxing Academy, where his uncle Mo Fiaz is the head coach – and the club is still supported by Shropshire’s former world super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall.
They fought twice as amateurs and Shabazz won both. Davis now puts his record of 16 wins in 16 professional fights on the line with Shabazz, who has won 13 of 13. And Davis also wants to clear up the small matter of local bragging rights.
“He beat me twice so of course I want revenge,” Davies told BBC Radio Shropshire. “I was in a bad situation then, but now I am a grown man. That boy they were fighting back then would never be in that position. Trust me, this time the battle will be different.
“It’s been a long time. He knows a lot of people in the area and to me it’s just jealousy. They want to try to bring me down, but I come from the same place as them, and if nothing else, they should respect me.”