Davis - the Midlands area best kept secret

Omar Davis with promoter Scott Murray (left) and manager Jon Pegg

OMAR Davis just may be Midland boxing’s best kept secret.

I’ve said that with caution because there’s been a lot of false dawns: a lot of men whose glitter doesn’t stay on as they climb up the ladder.

But I’m mightily impressed with the Walsall super-middle to date, mightily impressed. Frankly, I’d never heard of Davis before he signed pro with Jon Pegg – he only had two amateur bouts, yet the man hasn’t put a foot wrong.

And he brings a lot to the table. Davis is entertaining, has a wildly unorthodox style and hits with real power: Poland’s Tomasz Felsz was demolished in two last time out. The unanswered question is how he’ll be when dragged into the trenches.

After six straight wins, Davis has been handed a title fight: the Board of Control have said the winner of next month’s clash between Aaron Bowen and Klinton Baptiste for the Midlands belt must face him.

Until then, Davis stays sharp with a six rounder on Scott Murray’s October 1 Excelsior Sporting Club, Cannock, show.

Omar has given the public the most dramatic ring entrances I’ve witnessed – he’s been dressed as a Kung Fu grandmaster, Hannibal Lecter and disco dancer. Heaven only knows what his guise will be for his first championship battle.

I’m sure the showman would welcome suggestions.

As a fight scene fossil from an age when boxers simply strode to the ring without fanfare, I usually sniff at such theatre, but there’s something highly entertaining about Omar’s performances: possibly, the comedy value. It’s all tongue-in-cheek.

Pegg said: “It’s something our gym (Eastside) doesn’t do, but he does it with a smile on his face, he’s not arrogant about it.

“Our fighters buzz of his energy because he’s like it in the gym.”

Davis is improving with each fight and I find a possible showdown with Bowen intriguing. Aaron likes a war which could provide openings for Omar’s bombs.

“He’s very awkward,” Jon Pegg said, “he has a style all of his own and he’s getting very, very confident. The confidence he showed before (Davis can certainly talk the talk) was blag, now it’s real. He’s asking for sparring with really good guys.

“If he wins the Midlands title, we’ll look for the English sooner rather than later. He had two amateur bouts, but he can definitely win titles – and once you’ve won a title it can snowball.”