Omar inspired by his partner’s own battle

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

THE months away from the ring have been beyond testing for Omar Davis. They have been fraught, frightening, agonising.

In December, the super-middleweight’s blossoming career came to a juddering halt, his world stood still following the bombshell news his partner was suffering from aggressive blood cancer. The couple have a little girl together.

Today, the 29-year-old publicly reveals the trauma and turmoil that followed that diagnosis in a bid to inspire other cancer sufferers.

That’s because his partner is winning her battle. It is not over, but she is winning.

And the determination and fighting spirit she has shown will inspire Omar when he returns to the ring on June 14 at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, after eight months away.

Omar, who lives in Walsall, but fights out of Birmingham’s famed Eastside gym, said: “My partner was diagnosed with cancer in late December. She is still battling with it, but she is doing really well.

“I want people facing the same battle to know she’s winning it, she’s beating it. It has been a testing time, but I have taken so much motivation from seeing her fighting this, fighting it daily. It has brought out things in me I didn’t know I had, that I didn’t know I possessed.”

Davis entered the pro ranks as a mystery man, with only two amateur bouts under his belt. With each emphatic victory – there have been three to date, a little more is stripped from the mystique and the man’s boxing make-up revealed.

A body beautiful type, Davis is loose limbed, has blinding hand-speed, reflexes sharp as razor wire and hits with concussive power. Usually durable Zane Clark hit the deck as if felled by a 12 bore shotgun after shipping an Omar right hand. He needed oxygen before rising.

Highly articulate, Omar is a reporter’s dream, firing one memorable soundbite after another. There are no “ums” and “ahs” between sentences.

And Omar, who holds down a top job in construction, is a born showman with ring-walks that are pure theatre.

I’ve seen him disco dance to classic “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”. I’ve seen him climb through the ropes in Hannibal Lecter prison attire.

“I’ve got something really interesting for June 14,” he laughed. “It’s going to be hot.

“The expectation does put a bit of pressure on because at small halls you don’t have the big stage or long path to the ring. It takes organising.”

There’s a lot more to Omar than showbiz and stunts, however. Davis can scrap and wants to prove it in title fights.

“I believe I’m ready to fight for an area title after my next fight,” he said. “I know how good I believe I am and I’m desperate to show it. That’s why my next fight will be over six rounds, that puts me right in the title mix.

“I don’t know who I’m fighting. Jon (manager Jon Pegg) assesses my opponents and he does it really well. I’ve seen other guys with opponents who don’t hit back at all. Jon has always given me guys with credible names on their records.”

Omar admits there is still work to be done before his full potential is realised.

“There is real power there,” he added. “We’ve been working on setting those shots up. The biggest thing in the camp has been working on my ring IQ again. We’re stripping everything down and working on ring IQ and ring generalship.

“I don’t regret not turning pro earlier, I just believe this is my time. My body feels great, my mind is a fortress, I’m ready to go through whatever it takes to win. There are a lot of things you learn in life, discipline and dedication among them. Some have them from the start, some need time to work on them.”

Davis, driven by his partner’s own battle, is back. Expect him to be back with a bang on June 14.