Liam Davies lands IBO World super-bantamweight title shot at former champion Erik Robles Ayala

March 16: Erik Robles Ayala vs Liam Davies

Britah andoEuropean champion Liam Davies (15-0, 7KO) will challenge for the IBO World super bantamweight championship when he takes on the former titleholder Erik Robles Ayala (15-1, 9) at the Resorts World Arena, in Birmingham, England on Saturday March 16, live on TNT Sports.

The Telford talent has collected English, British, European titles, as well as claiming WBC and WBO International belts to reach the top 15 in all five governing bodies. Ranked at IBO #6, the 27-year-old makes the natural step up to world honours to face the “Terrible” Erik Robles Ayala, from Mexico.

British fight fans will already be familiar with 23-year-old Mexican, who defeated one of thier top prospects, Lee McGregor, last July to win the vacant strap. Now he's set to challenge for the same world honours again - after relinquishing to fight for a different title - to another Briton, fully confident of his ability to perform on British soil.

The Mexican has just one defeat on his record, sustained early on in his career in his seventh bout, just one year into his paid career in March 2020. Prior to that, he had won all six fights, knocking five of his foes out in the first round. He has been able to repeat that feat a further three times as he enters his next contest on a nine-fight winning streak.

Davies may be unbeaten, but Ayala's last three opponents were all undefeated too. In fact, he has ruined the perfect record of four opponents so far in his 16-fight career.

Davies is the No.1 super-bantamweight in the UK and also enters the bout with good momentum. In a shock result, he blasted European champion Jason Cunningham away in the first round in July 2023 meeting, then he stopped Italy's Vicenzo La Femina in round five in his first defence as EBU champ in November, on what was the first Magnificant Seven card.

Promoter Frank Warren commented, “Liam Davies fully merits his shot at a version of the world title at super-bantamweight against a strong champion in Erik Robles Ayala, where a win will really put him right in the mix.”

 

The Magnificent Seven Ride Again

British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney (18-0, 6 KOs), fresh from his stunning victory over Denzel Bentley to claim the title in November, will make his first defence of his Lonsdale belt, against the English champion Brad Pauls (18-1, 10).

In a cracking domestic duel, also at super bantamweight, Commonwealth champion Dennis McCann (14-0-1, 8) faces the also undefeated WBO European champion Brad Strand (11-0, 3) with the vacant WBO Intercontinental title on the line.

Another battle of undefeated talents will take place at welterweight, with Eithan James (12-0) defending his WBO European title, along with battling for the vacant English belt against Owen Cooper (9-0, 3), the Midlands Area champion.

Up at heavyweight, Soloman Dacres (8-0, 2) returns defending his English title with an opponent to be announced shortly.

Jumping back on the heavyweight horse after rare career setbacks is the Juggernaut, Joe Joyce (15-2, 14), who returns in 10 round action against the former IBF European champion Kash Ali (21-2, 12).

Also on the card is former WBO International super middleweight champion Zach Parker (23-1, 17), who will take on the former WBA world champion Tyron Zeuge (27-1-1, 15).

“The depth and quality of this card is incredible with so many even-money fights,” said promoter Frank Warren. “The Magnificent Seven show in November proved such a hit with boxing fans that doing it again in the city that staged the original promotion back in 2010 made perfect sense. And this one is even better.

“Seven big title fights on one big night is a veritable banquet of boxing for sports fans to feast on and a number of our young stars are really stepping up for the occasion.

“It will be a special night for our Stoke hero Nathan Heaney making a first defence of his British title against the English champion Brad Pauls before, if all goes to plan, we get to fight him at the home of Stoke City at the end of the football season.

“Then we have got four absolute domestic bangers featuring Dennis McCann against Brad Strand, Eithan James against Owen Cooper and Soloman Dacres defending his English title – all with championship belts on the line.

“We will also get to see the return to heavyweight business of Joe Joyce before he hopefully makes himself part of the bigger picture again, plus our super middleweight tank Zach Parker making his move back towards elite competition once more against a top opponent in Tyron Zeuge. 

“If you love boxing, Birmingham is the place to be on March 16.”

Tickets for the Magnificent Seven Ride Again are on sale now available from theticketfactory.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.