IBO super bantamweight king Liam Davies admits he is proud to have fulfilled his late grandfather’s prediction that he could become a world champion and is determined to keep honouring his memory.

Davies’ grandfather Brian Davies passed away in 2011 and the Telford fighter has  since climbed through the boxing ranks.

The 27-0-0 champion, who had a knockout world title victory over Erik Robles Ayala in Birmingham in March, acknowledged his grandfathers’ influence in his early career.

He owned Donnington Boxing Club, where Davies trains to this day, and saw his grandson win the schoolboy championship there.

“The generations of my family before – none of us had done anything massive and so it was put on my shoulders and my grandad used to tell me I could be a world champion,” Davies told the PA news agency.

“My great grandad got my grandad into boxing. He was in the army and then my grandad ended up taking over Donnington Boxing Club.

“I spent many years with my grandad because my mum and dad had me young you see. I was very close to him and, when I was under the age to fight, I was in and around boxing.

“He would coach fighters or judge so boxing has always been a massive part of my life.

“When he sadly passed away in 2011 it was hard to take because I won the schoolboy championship with him, I went to the Europeans with him and I lost him as a teenager.

“Things got hard, my dad took over boxing and, for many years, I felt it wasn’t the same without my grandad. But, thankfully,  my dad kept me on the right path and he always had a go at me when I missed training and was on my case.”

Davies started his professional career in 2018, defeating Georgia’s Khvicha Gigolashvili.

The 28-year-old, who went on to beat Marc Leach for the British title in 2022, lauded the support of his team who constantly reiterate his grandfather’s positive message.

“I came through those hard times and started my professional career in December 2018 with my dad and Errol Johnson. I realised I need to give it everything.

“My coaches at BCB Errol Johnson and Paul Mann knew my grandad very well because he was my dad’s coach when he boxed at BCB. So little things in training camps, little words and reminders as to why I’m doing it and always pushing me. It’s great.

“It saddens me that he’s not here to live this journey with us but I pray to god he’s up there watching and that he’s proud because I do it a lot for him, as well as making my father proud and giving me and my wife a better life.

“Somethings are meant to be and this is my purpose in life and I’m just blessed to be doing it. Winning is just an added bonus.”