Opportunity for redemption awaits “Britain’s biggest punching bantamweight”
He is “massive at the weight”, is a fearless fighter, hits like a mule and can box a bit too, but, frustratingly, since turning over to the pro ranks Gary Davies has been hampered by inactivity. Some boxers will end their careers prematurely due to inactivity; many will become journeymen and others will struggle on in the hope of achieving their title ambitions.
These idiosyncrasies of the fight game, from the boxers perspective, are best illustrated by the immortal boxing line, written by Budd Schulberg, and uttered by Marlon Brando in the Academy Award winning motion picture ‘On the Waterfront’: “I could have been a contender”.
An aptitude for hype and psychological warfare are interrelated qualities that are only second to the dexterity of the pugilist. “I am not afraid to say it”, begins Gary Davies, “I am the biggest punching bantamweight in Britain. If I am fighting someone and they don’t hurt me, one of two things is going to happen. You are either getting knocked out or stopped”.
A quick glance at Davies' stuttering career reveals a ledger that is broadly in line with his claims. Since turning pro in 2002, Davies has had 14 fights, won 10 (8 KO), 3 losses and 1 draw. On closer inspection, the first five years of his career reveals the worst inactivity, fighting only once a year in 2004, 2005, and 2007 and, not fighting at all in 2003.
It was in these formative, and inactive, years in the pro ranks that Davies picked up his worst results, stoppage losses to Steve Gethlin (on his pro debut) and Rocky Dean and a draw with Barrington Browne. In 2008, Davies notched up three wins, including an impressive second round stoppage win at the expense of former British bantamweight Champion Martin Power (who was 19-3 at the time). This win paved the way for the pinnacle of Davies' career so far when he seized his British title shot against Matthew Edmonds, by stopping the Newport man in the seventh round in their vacant title clash.
Davies treasures this accomplishment: “When I won the British Title I beat Matthew Edmonds and at the time he was a very good fighter – he had a win over one of Frank Warren’s golden boys Kevin Mitchell as an amateur. So anybody who can beat Kevin Mitchell as an amateur must have something. I stopped him, but I also outboxed him as well. I am not known for my boxing, I am known for my aggression and my strength and I outboxed the kid. I was proud as I was on a mission to show everyone that I can box. I wouldn’t have won schoolboy titles and boxed for England if I didn’t have a boxing brain.”
However, the St. Helens man's reign as British champion was shortlived as Davies suffered a narrow majority points loss to slickster Ian Napa in his first defence. “I didn’t sleep for two weeks when I lost to Napa”, rues Davies, “and I thought I won it – I thought I won the fight easy – it just shows you”.
Prior to turning pro, Davies had a decent amateur career, boxing for England three times, winning a schoolboy title and he went on to win a silver medal in a multination tournament in Uzbekistan.
“I broke my ribs in the semi-final against a German and I didn’t realise and I fought on like that and I had to get pulled out in the final because I couldn’t breathe. I got beat in the final to an outstanding kid who could punch as well”, conceded Davies.
Davies also has fond memories of his ‘war’ with current British featherweight champion Martin Lindsay in the unpaid ranks.
“I was always known as a strong little bugger as an amateur, I never took a backward step.”
The duel with Martin Lindsay took place in the NABC’s. “The NABC’s are actually harder than the ABA’s and I fought Martin Lindsay from the Immaculata Club. It was the semi-final of the NABC in either 1997 or 1998 and it was a war with both of us going toe-to-toe. Lindsay just nicked the win.”
The road back to title contention and marriage
Since his loss to Napa in October last year, Davies has been itching to make amends but, frustratingly, has only fought once, a scheduled six rounder against former British super-flyweight champion Andy Bell on the undercard of old amateur foe Martin Lindsay’s British title defence against Jamie Arthur.
It is always fascinating to study the body language of a boxer during fight week, perhaps a telling facial expression at the weigh-in or throwaway quote at a press conference will help unearth a clue to the real emotion or vibe behind the bravado of the boxer. As Davies climbed through the ropes to face Andy Bell, at the Leigh Sports Arena, he had a noticeable swagger that conveyed impatient bad intentions.
In the standout performance of the undercard, Davies decked Bell twice in the first round; the second knockdown, a right hook to the jaw line of the Doncaster man, was heavy and conclusive as Bell was counted out.
A couple of months later, Davies had a more permanent and long lasting match-up outside the ring. In June this year, Davies got married to his long-term sweetheart Catherine and they celebrated their union in style by jetting off to Dubai for a “fantastic honeymoon” in the wonderful Atlantis Palm Hotel – “swimming with dolphins and feeding stingrays” in the premier Dubai resort.
Having returned from his honeymoon, an opportunity for redemption now beckons for Davies. The BBBofC has named Davies as the mandatory challenger to British Bantamweight title-holder Stuey Hall. Purse bids are due on 8th September and BBBofC has ordered the fight to take place before the end of November 2010.
“Thank God for that!” says a relieved Davies. Then in a ‘matter-of-fact’ tone Davies promises, “I will be ready, trust me. I have never had 6, 7 or 8 weeks notice for a fight – so I can't wait. This British title is coming back to me.”
Davies, is a “mad boxing fan” and reveals that he “is on the Boxrec website everyday”.
A fight that Davies took a particular interest in as a viewer was the British title fight earlier this year between Ian Napa and Stuey Hall, that ended unexpectedly with, Zimbabwe-born, Napa, retiring at the end of the eighth round complaining of the heat.
“I thought Napa was winning the fight – I had Napa ahead by three rounds. When Napa said he was too hot to carry on – I was shocked to be honest because it was getting tasty - it started to warm up nicely, but for me Hall seemed to die in the middle rounds – maybe he is too big at the weight – I don’t know”.
Davies, does not rate current European Champion Jamie McDonnell and refers to him as the ‘Jammy Dodger’, lamenting that McDonnell swerved fights with him and that McDonnell didn’t deserve to get the verdict in his close encounter with Napa.
“Jamie McDonnell – I call him the ‘Jammy Dodger’ because he just dodges everyone. I mean who is Bracco (McDonnell defeated Rodrigo Bracco by TKO 3 in his EBU title defence in July)? I have asked my manager Steve Wood to get me Bracco! I will knock him out in two rounds! How he can be European level – I don’t know – he was terrible. And these lads are getting these fights and I am thinking what’s going on?”
“If you look at my record I think I have had one easy fight. I don’t rate McDonnell. He is a very classy boxer – but over 12 rounds I think you need a bit more than being able to box. You have got to have a lot of heart and have power. That is my main attribute to boxing is my power and my heart”.
Davies is confident that he would beat McDonnell if they met in the future and in addition to his power and heart, points to his boxing credentials as an amateur and his boxing performances such as outpointing quality boxers such as Matthew Edmonds.
Balancing a full-time job and a punishing training schedule
Gary works full time as a machine operative, and openly admits “it absolutely kills me”. It is difficult to get time off for a fight, so for some fights I have to work a 48-hour week (4 x 12 hour shifts) and train full time as well. I do it because I believe I am the biggest punching bantamweight in Britain and I will keep going until I prove it.”
A typical day for Davies when he is in training for a fight is:
“I’m up at 5am, in work at 6am - 4pm were I am on a machine lifting constantly – it is very hard. Then I am home at 4.20pm (Gary lives about 15 minutes from his work), I walk my two Labrador dogs ‘Ben’ and ‘Jerry’ for an hour. Then I go to the gym – from 6 – 8.30. And then I don’t get in until 9 pm at night”.
“When I get back in my wife has made me something low calorie – chicken or fish or vegetables and potatoes in a bowl. I always eat out of a bowl. I tell everyone if you eat out of a little bowl – the smallest bowl you can – it is only your brain ‘saying ‘oh I’ve had something to eat now’. You would be surprised at how much you can cut your food down and still live and be ok.”
“I would do that four days per week as I do shift work four days on and four days off and I do this year round – whether it is Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day – I am in work. If my shifts in – I’m in. Like last year I had to work Christmas Day and Boxing Day.”
On his four days off, Davies is training in the Spirit Gym at the Holiday Inn at Haydock.
“I go in there with three layers of clothes on and a hat and I am running like hell on the running machine and they all laugh at me as they are in their shorts and tee-shirts! They are all saying ‘it is too hot’ – so that opens their eyes.”
“I do one hour and 45 minutes cardio and then I do some stomach work – I have a trainer in there who does my conditioning, weights and stomach work. I then get in the swimming pool and swim 64 lengths. I then get a sauna or a steam, shower, changed and back home. So I am there from about 7am to 10.30/11am. Then I am back in the gym, Higherside ABC, from 6 – 8.30 pm”.
“It is a long day and hard going – but I am massive for the weight. When I get in the ring I am big for the weight and feeling strong.”
Davies credits the work that he is doing with his new trainer Peter McCormack at the Higherside ABC – which “is a great gym”. “Peter has got me settled down and picking my shots – like I showed when I boxed Andy Bell”. Davies is also full of praise for top sports nutritionist, Kerry Kayes, who has advised on diet and supplements, as well as making suggested changes to his current training programme.
So what are Gary Davies career goals?
“If Jamie McDonnell can be European Champion I can’t see why Gary Davies can’t be. When I won the British Title – no one wanted to fight me according to Mr Frank Maloney when I phoned him. He said, ‘"Gary we cant get you matched. People who we are trying to get you matched with are either not in the gym or they don’t want to know.”
“I will fight anyone, I am not being big headed in saying that, I believe I am above the six round level now and I have been for the past year or so. But, I only seem to be fighting once or twice a year.”
Davies' ideal fight plan in the new season would be to secure the British title, make a voluntary defence and a mandatory defence. Who knows, perhaps Davies can follow the trajectory of the ‘Boxing Bin man’ - Rendall Monroe and enjoy domestic and European success whilst balancing the demands of a full time job?
In the meantime, boxing fans can welcome the new season with a mouthwatering British title clash between champion Stuey Hall and Davies.
