Flying high again, Shabaz Masoud picking up from where he left off a year ago

What a difference a year makes.

Last November, Shabaz Masoud was being given the big build.

Ahead of his Matchroom debut against Colombia’s Jose Sanmartin, the slick junior featherweight was touted as not just a future world champion, but a future multi-weight world champion.

Modern boxing is a fickle business and although Masoud escaped with a split decision victory after 10 lackluster rounds with Sanmartin, the pre-fight hype died down as quickly as it had ignited. 

Rather than scratching around for excuses or people to blame, Masoud accepted that he had underperformed and went back to the gym.

Twelve months on – and with just eight one sided rounds against a Nicaraguan journeyman under his belt since that flat performance against Sanmartin – Masoud finally showed the ability that led his trainer, Ben Davison, to speak so highly about him. 

On Saturday night, the 28 year-old produced a tremendous display of accurate punch picking to dominate the previously unbeaten Liam Davies and collect the IBO title. Masoud never allowed the confident, heavy handed Davies to establish any kind of foothold in the fight and maintained his concentration for every second of the heated grudge match.

It was a mature, calm dismantling of a former British and European champion who had seemed to be on the verge of some major nights himself. 

“I had a great game plan. Certain things I didn’t do as good so I had to adapt in there a little bit and change but a lot of it was really good,” Masoud, 14-0 (4 KOs), told Queensberry after the fight. “I want to see a massive credit to my team; Ben Davison and Lee Wylie. These men have been with me for the last four and half years. They truly believed in me. I feel like a lot of people didn’t believe in me and doubted me but this is what I’m in the game for and I said it from the start.”

As well as talent, this was a triumph of perseverance. Davison was clearly delighted with the result but seemed even more pleased that Masoud had shown the public exactly what he had seen day-in, day-out in the gym.

It was imperative that he seized the opportunity against Davies but, having done so, Davison believes Masoud can now push on much further. 

“He’s been very dedicated for a long time. It’s a lot of time away from his family, inactive spells in his career and he was a massive underdog tonight. He showed what we’ve always known he’s been capable of doing,” Davison said. 

“I know that [Naoya] Inoue is the undisputed in that weight class but the winner tonight had a chance to announce themselves as right up there, chasing his tail. I’m not saying it’s a fight that we’re chasing but them two are two world class fighters and Liam will come again.

“The belts might open up and some opportunities might come so we’ll have a look.”

Masoud’s victory once again provided proof that, in boxing, you are always only one win away from the big time. Defeat to Davies would have set him on a long road back to relevance, while beating him has opened up his horizons. 

“I’m big for the weight,” Masoud said. “You never know, I could go up as well. I’m just going to sit down with the team and see what the situation is.”

John Evans has contributed to a number of well-known publications and websites for over a decade. You can follow John on X @John_Evans79