Liam Davies may go up after Elite defeat
Shropshire's Liam Davies may go up a weight after his dreams of an England Elite national title came to an end for another year.
The 20-year-old, who represents his Dad Tristan's Donnington Boxing Club, was gunning for 52kg glory at the Echo Arena in Liverpool,
But he didn't get past the quarter-final stage as he was outpointed unanimously by the Army's Shamin Khan, rated No 3 in the country.
His powerful opponent had strength and maturity that belied his size but it was Davies' old rival, the seeded Mohammad Ali, that eventually took the title.
Davies had been nursing bruised knuckles, which affected his training in the build up to finals weekend, but there was no excuses from his corner.
Tristan said: "Liam just didn't seem himself, maybe the nerves got to him a little bit or maybe he was a bit drained at the weight.
"We have got a few months to decide what to do, but maybe we should take him up to 56kg. He's filling out a bit now as he gets older, so it might be inevitable."
Davies had started well against Khan, pegging his burly opponent back with hooks as he tried to overpower him, as he took the first round.
But a clash of heads in the second round put Davies into defence mode, as he was nicked by the right eye.
That allowed Khan to stay on the front-foot and take the other two rounds, the judges going with him at the final bell.
Tristan said: "Liam definitely won the first round, for me, and it was close in the second before he got cut. It was only small, but he's got a black eye now.
"This guy was a couple of years older and effectively a man, whereas Liam is still growing up. He was strong and awkward, too.
"Liam can do better and, he was a bit off, things happened in there and Khan capitalised on them. That's boxing."
Liam's brother and Tristan's other son, Brayden, is also out of the England Schoolboys championship after losing a box-off.
His West Midlands semi-final in the Class A category, for fighters born in 2002, at 35.5kg went the way of Terry Quinn on a split decision.
Tristan said: "Now that was a robbery. The other lad was stuck in the corner covering up for the last two rounds.
"In my opinion, Brayden won hands down. I even think it would have been harsh if it had been a split going our way!"
