All-Shropshire title fight is on

Telford's Davies will defend his IBO world super bantamweight belt against Masoud, who started out in Wellington, at Resorts World Arena on Saturday, July 20.

The duo fought twice in their days as youngsters before turning professional and now put their undefeated records on the line as top of the billing at the 'Magnificent Seven' show.

For European and British champion Davies, it is a first outing and defence of the IBO world strap he claimed in March with a thumping second-round knockout of Mexican Erik Robles. The 28-year-old is yet to be beaten from 17 fights.

Masoud, also 28, hails from Stoke but learned his craft in Wellington Boxing Academy, where he is nephew of head trainer Mo Fiaz.

His previous fight, last November, was a split decision success Jose Sanmartin, of Colombia, for the WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight title. That victory extended Masoud's career record to 12-0.

The fight is under Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions and is sure to see an army of boxing fans from Telford and Stoke, as well as across the region, descend on Birmingham.

English heavyweight champion Solomon Dacres, who is from the Black Country, is also in action against David Adeleye, as well as WBO European and English welterweight champion Owen Cooper, who faces Ekow Essuman.

Promoter Warren said: “The depth and quality of this fight card in Birmingham is unrivalled in this country. The Magnificent Seven concept is proving hugely popular and getting stronger each time.

“The lucky fans who snap up the tickets for the Resorts World Arena on July 20 will be treated to seven seriously meaningful title fights with so much on the line for our Queensberry fighters.

“Nathan Heaney rightly jumps back in with Brad Pauls (for the British middleweight title) following their hugely entertaining encounter last time out, which was declared a draw, with Liam Davies defending his IBO world title in a cracking domestic scrap against the highly-skilled Shabaz Masoud."

Davies and Masoud have met before, but not since their days as juniors and senior amateurs.

The latter said in 2022: "I'll leave it to the team to see what they want to do next, but there is a fight there with Liam.

"I've boxed him twice. We fought once as kids and once as senior amateurs and I beat him twice. That fight is always there, but we'll see what happens.

"In boxing, things can change overnight, it's a mad game. I'll work hard, have faith in God and God will open the doors for me."

Donnington Boxing Club's Davies this year became Shropshire's first world champion since Richie Woodhall's WBC super-middleweight title in 1998.