Tristan: Disrespect is a sign they’re scared

Liam Davies...faces Shabaz Masoud in November

WHAT has surprised me about Liam Davies’ journey to the top is the increased power the tall, slender super-bantam has picked-up on the way.

Some may question the worth – in terms of being the division’s global ruler – of the IBO belt, but there’s no doubt Davies has developed into a world class banger.

At his weight, he’s certainly one of the best finishers on the planet.

Having mopped up in Britain and Europe, Davies is on a collision course with the super-bantamweight’s supreme ruler, Naoya Inoue, a pound-for-pound great and true monster.

But first, 28-year-old Liam has business on the home front to take care of. On November 2, he defends the IBO title against Shabaz Masoud, billed out of Stoke but with strong connections to Davies’ Telford home.

That’s something else that surprises me about the Liam Davies journey – the spite building before the Resorts World battle.

It was simmering, then boiled over after Liam pulled out of their scheduled clash, in July, through illness.

Since then, Masoud’s followers have engaged in a war of words that has, at times, gone beyond gamesmanship and barracking.

“They should be more appreciative and respectable and that is two things they are not,” said Liam’s father and trainer Tristan.

“They are messaging his wife, his family – it’s happening. Leave them out of it.”

In summary, a social media campaign has accused Davies of running scared of 13-0 Masoud – and then some. Those waging the campaign have made much of an amateur victory Shabaz scored over the champion.

That happened so long ago it has not only grown whiskers, but those whiskers are now grey.

I like Tristan Davies, I like his honesty: it is, at times, honesty to a fault, but it’s refreshing, no-nonsense honesty in a game sometimes swamped by bull and bravado.

“I think there’s a weakness when they do that,” he said. “They are scared, that’s why they are doing it. Why would you try to be nasty to people? There is no need for it. They are panicking and doing what they can do.

“Deep down, Liam loves it – it pushes him harder.”

“We are giving them a pay-day, we decided to give a local lad a pay-day and we didn’t have to. They should be more respectful.

“Liam pulled out because he was ill, he missed a pay-day because he was ill. He would’ve fought him at 50 per cent (fitness), but I made him pull out. The momentum had gone out of the training. He still wanted to fight and I said no.”

This time, Liam is healthy and ticking all the boxes in training camp. It is an intriguing clash between a champ who is tried and tested at top level and a challenger attempting to establish his world level credentials.

“Liam is hitting harder every time he fights,” said Tristan, “everything is going smoothly. If he’s 100 per cent, he’ll handle anyone, and I can only see it going one way.

“I think Liam has improved much more, he’s got more experience at championship level and been in a lot tougher fights. Hopefully, afterwards they’ll know Liam is a top pro.”

And a win opens the door to Japan’s Inoue next year, a beast who has demolished all before him.

Tristan added: “He’s the only one left out there. Inoue is a massive fighter, we know we will be up against it, but someone will beat him one day.”

But he stressed: “We’re definitely not look past Masoud.”