EVEN in his new division of featherweight, Liam Davies looks a very big physical specimen.
I watched him soundly outpoint former Irish amateur star Kurt Walker on Saturday and realised what a grim, arduous grind making super-bantam must have been.
Only Liam and those around him know the sacrifices that must have entailed. Only they know how significant a part those sacrifices played in the Telford sporting hero’s IBO world super-bantam title loss to local rival Shabaz Masoud last time out: his only setback in 18 contests.
The 29-year-old can now put that torture behind him. He looked healthier, fresher and let the punches flow better against Walker, unbeaten in 12 going into the contest.
Davies is back on the big stage – and has kick-started his new career with a title, the IBF international belt.
And he boxed well at Nottingham Arena, landing the more telling punches, dictating the pace and engaging with 30-year-old Walker, from Lisburn, in a rousing 12th round.
His supremacy was accurately reflected by the scores – 117-111, 115-113 and 116-112.
Walker may have ticked every box as an amateur, including competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but his lack of seasoning in the paid game was exposed by Davies.
In that sense, it went the way Liam’s dad and trainer Tristan said it would go.
“The lad (Walker) was in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, he had around 150-200 amateur fights, the guy was no mug,” Tristan said. “He came to win, the opportunity was there for him to take.
“Liam dealt with him quite comfortably – I had it 9-3 (in rounds), 8-4 minimum. There is always room for improvement, I thought Liam was a bit too relaxed, I would’ve liked to have seen more rights to the body.
“But there wasn’t that pressure of making weight, it was a lot more comfortable, the journey was more enjoyable.”
Tristan remains fairly laid back over what the future holds at featherweight.
“We’ll see what opportunities come up,” he added. “Now it’s about getting enough money for the rest of his life.
“We take what we’re given, we don’t pick and choose. We get a name, we turn up – that’s the way it goes.”
Both he and Liam will be itching to get back to world level. That’s the way they hope it goes.
