Ritson vs Davies Jr: Robbie Davies Jr hoping to catch world champions after Lewis Ritson fight
Super-lightweight contest on Saturday at 7pm, live on Sky Sports Action
Sunday 20 October 2019 06:45, UK
Robbie Davies Jr is a wise man when it comes to the 140lbs division.
A student of boxing since falling in love with sport as a young child, Davies Jr has dedicated himself to his craft and is fully aware of the environment that surrounds him.
This Saturday, live on Sky Sports, Davies Jr will aim to deter the threat of Newcastle's Lewis Ritson before switching his focus to a world title shot in 2020.
The highly-anticipated grudge match, one that takes place in Ritson's backyard, is likely to result in a huge opportunity for the victor as the super-lightweight higher echelons restore their shape with the upcoming WBSS Final between Scotland's Josh Taylor and the son of New Orleans, Regis Prograis.
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Davies Jr will be an enthused spectator when the division leaders clash on October 26th, but for now, the challenge of Ritson is enough to satisfy his hunger.
"It's where I've wanted to be and it's the fight I've wanted for a while," declared Davies Jr, highlighting the significance of what it means to be headlining a show on Sky Sports.
"I've come up the hard way in boxing and it's for moments like this where I can be the main event in the big arenas.
"Lewis Ritson is the fight I've wanted for a long time and now everybody is going to see the very best of me and it's going to take place on the biggest stage."
Victory for Davies Jr this weekend is likely to catapult him into contention for bigger prizes, and that means the Liverpool fighter is confident of competing for the sport's biggest prizes throughout the next stage of his career.
Davies Jr is familiar with the 10st landscape due to multiple spars in Los Angeles with Jose Ramirez, and a controversial amateur bout with Taylor.
Those decorated names are future targets for Davies Jr, and they're fights he often ponders about.
He said: "The world champions in the division are ahead of me now, but I like to think that I can catch them up fairly quickly. I've said that someone like Mario Barrios is a fight I'd love in the near future and [that would] provide me with a little more experience against the guys at the top.
"I know Josh [Taylor] well from an old international contest and I think I done more than enough to beat him. The judges gave it to him, and he looked a little relieved to get the nod, but that was a long time ago when we were much younger. He's pushed on and got to the top, and now I have to do the same."
On Taylor's imminent battle with Prograis, Davies Jr added, "I think Josh is just going to be too good for him. He's the better boxer and I think he has the better engine too. I've been impressed with Prograis in some of his fights, but I just think there's something missing at the very highest level and that whatever he brings, Taylor will just have the answer.
"I know people who think that Prograis will win and that shows you how good a fight it is, but I definitely think Taylor will have too much."
