OHARA’S TIME

This year will mark 10 years as a professional for Ohara Davies.

It has been a tough tuition both inside and outside of the ring, but finally, this weekend, he could well reap the rewards of a decade’s labour. 

Yet Saturday’s fight with veteran Ismael Barroso is, in many ways, not Davies’ ‘biggest’ night. 

His 2017 grudge match with bitter rival Josh Taylor, on free-to-air television, had the boxing community hooked on a tale of hatred and hostility. Ultimately, it ended in defeat for Davies. 

Under an umbrella of embarrassment, he fired back at claims he ‘quit’ that night in Glasgow. 

But Davies himself will cite such experiences as reasons to why he is ready to grab this next opportunity with both hands. Those hands are dangerous a set too, just ask Lewis Ritson. 

That March performance was the best of Davies’ career, and although the next nine months bought no activity inside the ring, it wasn’t a quiet time outside of it. 

In June, he penned a contract with Golden Boy, and began his assault towards the WBA champion Rolly Romero. The American, however, withdrew from their purse bid with injury. 

Romero’s ‘recovery’ seems to have consisted of partying, calling for fights he has no intention of taking - yes, I’m on about Ryan Garcia - and getting clowned by Devin Haney. 

Somehow, such medical exemption has hoodwinked the WBA into bringing the ‘Interim’ title into play, thankfully landing on a very tidy fight between Davies and Barroso. 

Despite the fact he is now 40, it would be foolish to underestimate the threat Barroso will bring to Las Vegas. 

After all, the Venezuelan’s brutal win that sent Kevin Mitchell into retirement was, believe it or not, eight years ago. For some perspective, Davies, at that point, was only moving into eight-round contests. 

However, on May’s viewing - in his ninth-round stoppage defeat to Romero - the two-time world title challenger has a lot left in what is a cultivated yet battle-scarred locker. 

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Barroso dropped Romero in the third, and led on all three judges’ scorecards when referee Tony Weeks stepped in after a fairly insignificant flurry of shots from Romero. 

Davies had fired shots at Romero in the wake of the fight, but also admitted he is unsure whether Barroso has a new lease of boxing life, or Romero is just genuinely not that good. 

Either way, Davies cannot afford to let this one slip, as defeat number three undoubtedly slams shut the world title door once and for all. This isn’t time for games. 

The importance and significance of this opportunity are certainly not lost on Davies and team, who travelled out during the festive period to ensure they are as acquainted with the Vegas clock as possible. After all, this is the British fighter’s US debut. 

A win would land Davies in a brilliant spot, opening doors that he and his old overly bullish persona almost threw away during his unfiltered and outspoken days. 

Whilst Davies tries to work his way into prime position, Saturday night’s card also sees the eagerly awaited return of Vergil Ortiz, whose 18-month layoff can be attributed to a horrific case of Rhabdomyolysis, a disease that can lead to either fatal or paralysing kidney failure. 

Once a feared addition to a stacked 147 division, Ortiz is ready to earn his stripes up at 154 this weekend, with trainer Robert Garcia even eyeing up future 160lb bouts for the Texan. 

Sitting on 19 wins and 19 knockouts, I won’t hesitate to say that this is a return you might just want to set that alarm for. 

Oscar Bevis