Davies out to finish Napa

Davies: Still learning

I'm still young, still learning and hopefully I'll win this and pass with flying colours again. I can't wait to just get in there and put everything in place.

Gary Davies
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Gary Davies v Ian Napa
British bantamweight title
Live on Sky Sports 1&HD1 from 10pm

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British bantamweight champion Gary Davies says the best is yet to come as he prepares for the first defence of his title against Ian Napa on Friday Fight Night.

The 27-year-old Merseysider picked up the title in only his 12th fight in April, stopping Matthew Edmonds in the seventh round after stepping in at just over a month's notice.

The former factory worker is unbeaten since taking on a new team and seven of his nine career wins have come inside the distance.

Naturally a bigger man than the 5ft 1in Napa, Davies is also the heavier puncher but insists he will not be relying on his extra power to see him through.

"We'll have to see what Mr Napa brings to the table," he told skysports.com. "I can box, I can fight, I've got everything and I'm going to show it come Friday night.

"We've worked on a lot of things for this fight, I've had some really good sparring and things have gone really well, so I can't wait.

Win-win

"He's been there and done it, but hopefully I'm the new up and coming blood now...either way I'm in a win-win situation really because I've only had 12 fights, if I do win, if I do beat Ian he's on the verge of packing in, whereas I'll go from strength to strength after this fight.

"For me I'm looking to win and win good."

The Edmonds win was his first fight at the 118lb limit and he does admit that Napa needs to be aware of his punching power.

"People know I'm big at the weight and can punch at the weight so I was quite avoided in the early part of my career," he added.

"When I beat Chris Hooper in Scarborough I knocked him out in the first round. That silenced a lot of people and it was hard to get me matched up then.

"So that's why I've only had 12 fights. Since I've taken a new camp, management and trainer on board five years ago I've not been beaten."

Davies has enough on his plate on Friday night but he is already looking ahead to many more potential big paydays.

"It would be lovely to win the Lonsdale Belt outright, it was a dream come true to win the title and obviously my first defence is a hard one, the hardest out there," he added.

"If I come through this one I'll get the reward which will be a couple of easier defences, and then there'll be Europeans.

"I'm still young, still learning and hopefully I'll win this and pass with flying colours again.

"I've trained really hard for this. I can't wait to just get in there and put everything in place. I just hope everything's going to go how I think it's going to go, and if it does it's going to be a great fight to watch.

"I'm ripped up, I'm in fantastic shape and I just can't wait now."

Napa has had to work harder than most to achieve British and European championship level considering his small frame, and will require all his slick defensive skills to hold off his opponent.

The 31-year-old from Hackney resurrected his career in 2007 with a stunning victory over Jason Booth, and took the European title last year before losing his first defence in March.

It has been a long road back for Napa, who admits that, while retirement was never on the cards, his motivation came into question.

Ready

"I felt sorry for myself more than anything else," he said. "I had that European title and a world title shot was not far away.

"I was due to fight an eight rounder but I just couldn't get motivated for that, but this title fight came about and I'm ready to come back.

"It's nice that I'm not being discounted before the fight like I usually am."

Napa feels he still has something to prove and will be looking to return to European and even World title level as soon as he can.

"I can still be European champion again, although I may have to drop down to super-flyweight to do so," he added.

"I've had it in the back of my mind that I'm not a true bantamweight. We'll have to see after Friday night."