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© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
SaddoBoxing went along to see St. Helens boxer Gary Davies yesterday as he makes his last minute preparations before Friday night’s clash against Matthew Edmonds for the British Bantamweight title.
Pulling up to the Leisure Centre off the Warrington Road in Prescot, England, I looked around at the 5-aside football taking place and the ladies hockey team arriving to play on the outside pitches and mused that you’d never imagine there was a title contender working away inside the ‘tucked away’ boxing gym.
Trainer Peter McCormick, greeted me at the doorway of the gym where many young men were busy training. Pointing me in the direction of Davies, I wandered over to the treadmill where he was already clocking up some miles.
Finishing his ’run’, Gary stripped down to his shorts and I’m stunned by his physique, which boasts a well-toned torso and tiny waist! He laughs at my comments and began working on the numerous punch bags around the gym.
He is supposed to be ’tailing-off’ on his training but, keen as ever – he doesn’t hold back as he pounds away at the punch bags. His friend Neil Hibbert is instructed to hold the biggest bag in the gym while Gary digs in with punches. The huge black ‘bag’ has gold crosses drawn on it at strategic points and Gary targets them with determination.
Jumping in to the ring – he then does some pad-work with Pete. Quick and sharp – he punches at the pads, dodging and dipping as Pete feints some shots. He looks in fantastic form!
“Edmonds won’t last the pace!” Gary says in between ‘rounds’, of which there were many. “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” he said, and this was reaffirmed by Pete and Neil.
Still ready for some more training – despite Pete telling him to slow down – Gary does sit-ups in the ring. ‘Stomach-crunchers’, I’d call them as he got himself in to a ‘frog-like’ position. Then lying on his side – he lifts up his body while Pete holds down his legs and I cringe – it looks painful! Jumping up again, he comments that he ‘doesn’t feel like he’s trained and wanted to carry on’, but not wanting to over-do it, he reluctantly agreed to stop.
Gary tells me that his weight has been well on target and he has no worries where that’s concerned. “I’m 8 stone 7 lbs [119 lb] today,” he said. This time, having been given four weeks off work, he’s done a lot of running and swimming as well as the gym sessions and some great sparring. He has been more relaxed for this build-up than he was for the Martin Power fight in December, when he made light work of the ‘favourite’.
Then, he’d had no time off work and so couldn’t train as much. This time – he has been totally committed, focussing on his training all day – every day. Friday night should see a real all-action contest. “I’m excited,” Gary adds, “I want to fight right now! I can’t wait till Friday!”
The vacant British Bantamweight title bout between Gary Davies (St.Helens) and Matthew Edmonds (Newport, Wales) takes place on Friday night at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, London and will be promoted by Matchroom Sports. The action goes live on Sky Sports at 10.00 pm.
