Liam Davies brands next fight 'biggest of career' as world title shot beckons

Liam Davies wants to prove you don’t have to be loud to make a big noise in boxing.

The Donnington star reckons a quiet persona away from the ring has not always worked in his favour.

Yet his ability in the ring has never been in question and for the second time in his career he is edging toward a possible world title shot.

Davies has branded next month’s showdown with Nathaniel Collins in Birmingham as the biggest fight of his career to date as aims to take another step toward the ultimate dream.

“I never thought I was going to be a superstar in this sport, like Anthony Joshua,” he told the Shropshire Star.

“I like a quiet life and maybe I have not helped myself by not being big on social media.

“Those guys who are, who put a lot of their life on social media, seem to get opportunities. I just fight.

“Maybe I should have done a bit more on the social media side but I am happy with the people who support me and I am going to fight my way to a world title.”

Davies, who turned 30 earlier this year, spoke with the relaxed maturity of a boxer who, in his words, has “already been there and done it” during a press conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, which acted as the promotional launch for his fight with Collins on September 26.

“It is human nature to worry about the unknown. There is none of that here,” he explained.

There is also, he admits, none of the self-imposed pressure which came during the early years of a career which saw him become European champion and claim the IBO version of the world crown at super bantamweight.

The sole defeat on his record, which came against Shropshire rival Shabaz Masoud in November 2024, initially hit like a sledgehammer and saw Davies enter therapy to help recover from the disappointment.

Yet the long-term effects, he claims, have been liberating, freeing him from the fear of defeat.

“Whatever you do in life, at some point you are going to lose and I used to worry about that,” he says.

“The Masoud fight is probably one of the good things which happened to me because I learned from it.

“I don’t put so much pressure on myself now. Boxing is a sport. I was getting caught up in the emotional side of it too much. Now I am just enjoying it. I am 30, it is not going to be forever.

“I probably have a few years left. As long as I look back with no regrets, I will be happy.”

That doesn’t mean to say he is not craving a world title. Davies’ reaction to the Masoud defeat was to step up to featherweight and he has already made a big impression, defeating the previous unbeaten Kurt Walker before claiming the EBU title with a stoppage victory over Francesco Grandelli in March.

Glasgow’s Collins, who suffered his first career loss when challenging Cristobel Lorente for the WBC silver belt in April, is very much a known quantity having travelled to Shropshire to spar with Davies frequently in the past.

Davies quipped on Tuesday how the pair were now preparing for the “37th round” but in his eyes there will only be one winner.

“This is the biggest fight of my life, it is a must-win,” he said.

“I feel like the winner of this has to fight for a world title. I have been around European level now for a number of years.

“It is the only thing I am chasing. It is what I need and I feel I deserve it.”