Liam Davies enjoys collecting belts.
Within 15 fights, the 27-year-old from Donnington has won the English, British and European super bantamweight titles and has also found time to pick up a couple of international straps.
The IBO title will be on the line when Davies fights Erik Robles Ayala in Birmingham on March 16th but this time, the belt is a secondary consideration, however. He is focused on the threat possessed by Robles and knows that a victory over the respected Mexican will move him a step closer to the titles held by undisputed 122lb champion, Naoya Inoue.
“It gets my foot in the door at world level. It’s not the cherry on the cake for me personally but it gets me in the right position,” Davies said at Thursday’s press conference. “I see he’s been sparring [Naoya] Inoue and it’s a big fight. I’m looking forward to it. I swear to God I feel unbeatable so whoever’s in the opposite corner, good luck to him.
“The belts are nice but it’s missing the main one. The one I’m in the sport for. The world title. I wanna be the best in the game and that’s what I set out to do from a young age. I’m still here, still hungry and still as handsome. I feel like every fight I’ve got better and this one you’ll see the best performance for sure.”
Fighting in Birmingham is unlikely to bother Robles in the slightest. Last July he travelled to Edinburgh and outpointed the previously unbeaten Lee McGregor in front of the Scotsman’s home fans to win the IBO title. Davies watched the fight but insists he learned precious little from it.
“Not much really. McGregor’s a good fighter but he let him hit him too much,” he said. “I just think it’s a totally different fight when you’re fighting me. As I’ve shown, I’m the best super bantamweight in the country, no doubt about it. I’m looking to become the best super bantamweight in the world.”
Japanese superstar, Inoue, beat Marlon Tapales last month to become the undisputed super bantamweight champion but rather than jumping up to featherweight in search of new challenges, he has indicated that he will stay at 122lbs for the foreseeable future and wasted little time in scheduling an exciting clash with former two weight world champion Luis Nery for May.
The Pound-for-Pound star may well decide to move up to 126lbs after defending his titles against the Mexican but Davies has said in the past that if he has to travel to Japan for a high profile, lucrative shot at Inoue and the chance to accomplish his goal of becoming the best super bantamweight in the world, he would board the plane “with a big f——ng smile on my face.”
“Yeah, of course. I’ve never been knocked out. I’ve always sparred big guys and never been badly hurt and I’d like to test myself, just to see if he could do it.
“To be the best you’ve got to beat the best. I think I’ve shown in my career that’s definitely what I’m here to do. Fight the best, beat the best and I ain’t come unstuck yet, have I?”