Davies looking forward to test

OHARA Davies is glad to be facing the biggest test of his career in Josh Taylor.

There is no love lost between the two unbeaten boxers who meet at Braehead Arena on July 8 in a show named ‘Bad Blood’.

Commonwealth super-lightweight champ Taylor, 26, was the more aggressive of the duo at Tuesday’s press conference in a Glasgow hotel, as the 25-year-old remained calm and respectful albeit he re-ignited a longstanding social media spat with the Scot later in the day.

However, Davies, WBC silver title holder with 12 knockouts in his 15 contests, accepts that Taylor, with eight knockouts in his nine bouts, is the challenge he needs after “quite easy” wins over Andrea Scarpa and Derry Mathews in his previous two bouts.

“It will definitely be my toughest fight,” Davies said.

“Well I hope it is. I found my past two fights quite easy and I want a real challenge.

“I want to go in there with someone who has the capabilities of beating me.

“That is what we are in the game for.

“If we are fighters then you have to have a fighter’s heart and a fighter’s mind-set which I believe he has.”

Taylor verbally abused Davies at the press conference and then tried to take his sunglasses off as they stood face to face for photographs.

However, the Englishman claims his opponent’s belligerent attitude was simply a charade to bolster ticket sales for the venue on the outskirts of Glasgow, which has a capacity of 5,200.

He said: “I don’t blame him for any of his antics. I am not trying to sell the fight. It was fairly easy to keep cool because I know that is not him.

“I know that he has been told to sell the fight and all that stuff, taking off my glasses and trying to provoke me.”