FOSTER SEEKS SWEET REVENGE AS DAVIES & MASOUD THROW DOWN IN BIRMINGHAM

After a memorable night for Jack Catterall in Manchester last weekend, the action shifts slightly south to Birmingham for this weekend’s main televised event. Undefeated Liam Davies looks to successfully defend his IBO World Super-Bantamweight Title for the first time, facing fellow undefeated contender Shabaz Masoud.

This weekend also features the highly anticipated rematch between WBC World Super-Featherweight champion Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster. Conceicao controversially dethroned Foster back in early July, and the American will be eager to make amends this weekend, hoping to secure a mega-money fight against the winner of Oscar Valdez and Emanuel Navarrete.

Davies vs. Masoud: A Battle of Undefeated Fighters

First, we head to Birmingham.

It's 16-0 vs. 13-0 as Liam Davies aims to solidify his claim as the best super-bantamweight in the UK. Ranked #5 by both the WBC and IBF, Davies has been making a name for himself lately, securing a hat-trick of stoppage victories, none of which went past the fifth round.

Masoud, on the other hand, has been relatively inactive, with just two fights in two years compared to Davies’s four. Despite this, he’s ranked #7 in the world by the WBA. Masoud hasn’t yet had the chance to fully showcase his potential, though his career-best win over the previously undefeated Jack Bateson in 2022 proved his ability.

Both fighters are versatile, with boxing skills and the confidence to sit down on their punches, making this a true 50/50 matchup.

Expect Davies to take the role of aggressor, while Masoud will likely try to frustrate him early with slick footwork, looking to counter with sharp, single punches as Davies closes in. Davies will need to force Masoud to fight at a pace he’s uncomfortable with. If he succeeds, the man from Stoke-on-Trent could find himself in serious trouble.

For Masoud to claim victory, he’ll need to be smart. He should pick his moments to engage, use his superior hand speed and footwork, and frustrate Davies throughout the fight.

A potential date with the winner of Dennis McCann vs. Peter McGrail is on the line, so both men are expected to leave it all in the ring.

Foster vs. Conceicao: A Rematch with High Stakes

Across the pond, we have a rematch that was almost inevitable the moment the first fight ended.

Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao faces the well-traveled O’Shaquie Foster once again.

In the first fight, Foster entered as the champion, and many felt he had done enough to retain his title. However, the judges saw it differently, awarding the victory to Conceicao.

For the Brazilian, it may have felt like justice was served, given his past frustrations with the judges in his draw against Emanuel Navarrete and his controversial loss to Oscar Valdez. But as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right.

In the first bout, Conceicao was forced to be the aggressor—something he’s not particularly fond of—but Foster’s tricky style gave him plenty of problems.

If there was one criticism of Foster’s performance in the first fight, it was his work rate. Conceicao threw almost 300 more punches, though Foster landed at a higher percentage (25.1%) compared to Conceicao’s 10.8%.

Foster knows he needs to make a statement this time around. He has the skills to defeat Conceicao, but it will be up to the Brazilian to make the necessary adjustments. If Conceicao is to win again, he’ll need to adapt to Foster’s style and ensure that this time, there’s no controversy and no demand for a rematch.