We analyse the credentials and statistics of domestic super-bantamweight rivals Liam Davies and Shabaz Masoud as the pair get set to finally face each other in their Queensberry bill-topping bout in Birmingham this weekend.
In the space of eight days in November 2022. Liam Davies and Shabaz Masoud both won significant fights in their careers.
Davies captured the vacant European super-bantamweight title against Romanian hard-nut Ionut Baluta, while Shabaz Masoud beat fellow British title contender Jack Bateson.
Two contests at two different levels, but two steps of progression which were taking both men on an upward trajectory.
The career of Davies has rolled on with knockout momentum yet the career of Masoud has stalled and faltered.
This Saturday night we’ll find out if Masoud is on the level of Davies when the two former amateur rivals meet in Birmingham.
But the big question is who will prevail?
It's time to look at the 'Tale of the Tape'...
Liam Davies | Shabaz Masoud | |
Age: | 28 | 28 |
Nickname: | 'Dangerous' | 'Maverick' |
Height: | 5ft 7ins | 5ft 7ins |
Reach: | 67ins | 67ins |
Weight: | Super-bantamweight | Super-bantamweight |
Trainer: | Errol Johnson | Ben Davison |
Record: | 16-0 (8 KOs) | 13-0 (4 KOs) |
Last Fight: | Won (TKO) v Erik Robles Ayala (March 2024) | Won (UD) v Marvin Solano (July 2024) |
There seems to be no stopping Liam Davies.
The Donnington man has carved out a terrific career for himself, capturing British and European titles at 122lbs, whilst he now finds himself ranked in the top five with the WBC and IBF, where the spectacular Naoya Inoue sits as undisputed champion.
Beating Marc Leach, who himself was looking at climbing a ladder above domestic level, in 2022 was a real turning point for Davies who dropped the Salford fighter in the opening round before going on to win the British title.
Since then, he has recorded wins over Ionut Baluta, Jason Cunningham, Vincenzo La Femina and Erik Robles Ayala and found his punching power in that time with the last three being stopped inside six rounds.
Davies had hoped to be facing a bigger name and facing a bigger challenge to help propel him towards that dream opportunity against Inoue.
Instead his next opponent comes in the shape of somebody who Davies himself feels is of a far inferior level.
But Shabaz Masoud holds two amateur wins over Davies and therein lies the danger.
Davies is a down to earth man, an honest man and one who says how it is, but the odds-on favourite has added revenge to his agenda which may work against him.
On paper Davies wins and wins well once again.
He could close Masoud down and eventually chop him down much like his last three foes, but maybe, just maybe, this matchup against Masoud could prove to be the toughest of his career.
Strengths: | Weaknesses: |
Lands big shots early | Can get reckless |
Jab | Open to shots from a southpaw's back hand |
Maintains distance well | Gets caught when on the back foot |
Lead hand | Could be overconfident |
If you are only as good as your last fight then Shabaz Masoud is in trouble on Saturday night.
His performance against Marvin Solano disappointed many but this was a replacement opponent after his original date with Liam Davies was postponed.
Masoud, like many fighters, can occasionally be dragged down to the level of lower-class opponents, opting to save his best for much tougher assignments.
Trainer Ben Davison trainer believes that if his charge does not win at least one world title he will have underachieved.
Beating Liam Davies this weekend will turn doubters into believers, but Liam Davies will be going into battle believing Masoud has nothing to put a dent in him.
Davies doesn’t pour forward in reckless abandonment and when there is an opening he makes the most of it, and lately has been ending fights early in the process.
Masoud has the talent to frustrate Davies and to even be ahead on the cards at the halfway stage, but this fight feels like a potential tale of two halves.
One where Masoud erases the memories of his previous two fights and another where Davies eventually gets to his man and ends the contest between rounds eight and 10.
Strengths: | Weaknesses: |
Movement | Power |
Jab | Taking a huge step up |
Left hand lead | Invites too much pressure |
back-foot boxing | Questionable arsenal |