"We are getting in there on September 28th on CBS Sports Network. I will be the first TV fight of the night. I'm looking to make some noise in the featherweight division with this one...They have a lot of great fighters out there and we really just wanna be in the mix...We want to make a real statement and look very impressive in this fight," stated fast-rising featherweight Joshua Davis, who talked about his upcoming return to the ring and much more. Check it out!
PC: How is everything going?
JD: Ah man, everything is going well. I can’t complain.
PC: You’re coming off of a 7th round TKO victory back in May. How do you feel about that performance?
JD: I feel good. It was my first fight in almost 2 years. So to get in there and get some rounds, but also get an impressive victory was great because we really focused on that in camp. I really didn’t know that much about the guy. I knew he was a solid fighter and I knew that he would be somebody that could really push me and we got the result that we wanted. Big shout out to him and his camp and now we’re just ready for the next one.
PC: You didn’t fight at all in 2016 and, like you said, it was almost 2 years since you had been in the ring. I’m sure that wasn’t by design.
JD: Nah, nah, it wasn’t, but it’s the game, things happened, and I just stayed focused and stayed working and, Lord willing, we was able to get on a good card. We had the opportunity to showcase our talent in front of a good crowd and create some buzz.
PC: Being out of the ring without a date or an opponent can be mentally exhausting. How did you stay focused and sharp?
JD: Mainly just my team believing in me and kept me holding on to faith at times when I was getting frustrated; my dad “Top” [Thomas Williams Jr.] and everybody else that supports. They kept me focused and kept it in the gym. I really didn’t have an opportunity to get into other things or get too high in weight. I had an exhibition bout in December and that kind of got me right back into the swing of things as well. It was tough, but it was manageable.
PC: You have anything lined up now?
JD: Yeah, we are getting in there on September 28th on CBS Sports Network. I will be the first TV fight of the night. I'm looking to make some noise in the featherweight division with this one.
PC: What do you think of the talent in the division right now?
JD: It’s a great division. It’s a lot of good fighters out there. We got the IBF champ, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Vasyl Lomachenko, up-and-comers and some established guys who is really trying to make a run like a Tevin Farmer, Omar Douglas, and Javier Fortuna. They have a lot of great fighters out there and we really just wanna be in the mix. When you mention those guys, I want to make sure you’re mentioning Joshua Davis.
PC: What type of statement are you looking to make to cement your name among those guys you just named?
JD: We want to make a real statement and look very impressive in this fight. It’s the first TV date that I have. I’m going to be on CBS Sports Network, so we want to show our talent. We feel we have a guy who is tough and durable and he will be able to really push us. But we feel we have the strength, the talent, and the God-given ability to beat him.
PC: How do you not let your approach change being that this is your first televised fight?
JD: That’s just my personality, for one. I’m a laid back kind of guy. I try not to let things get to me. It is exciting and although I haven’t fought on TV, I have fought on live streams before, so I had the cameras right there in my face. But the main thing is staying focused really. Just blocking everything out and just going in there and executing the game plan. I think it’s more of my personality than anything else, but I feel like I have a good team around me to keep me focused.
PC: What are some of the things you have been working on in the gym in preparation for this fight?
JD: This guy is a little taller than me, which is something that I’m used to, and from the tape I watched, he seems to be very awkward. So one thing that we’ve been working on is getting away from being a slick counterpuncher and pressing a lil' more. He’s a guy that we saw doesn’t really lead well, but once he gets touched, he throws 3's and 4's. So we are working on not pulling out, keeping our hands up, and just working. I would say a little bit of what we seen Errol Spence do with Kell where he just stayed there and was able to work and break him down in the late rounds and get a stoppage.
PC: You are now 12 fights into your career. What have you learned about yourself during that time period?
JD: Definitely patience. I learned that I’m really patient and I would say one of the things that I learned the most is I’m a good fighter. I have one loss and me and my camp know what went on with that. I don’t feel like I’ve ever been in the ring with somebody and they completely outclassed me. I’ve been in the ring with a lot of good fighters and I feel like I belong. You can ask anybody, on the skills portion, it was never a question. Everyone believed that I had the skills, so now that the focus is behind the skills, I think we are really going to make a statement. I would like to fight as many times as possible, but I know this is a business, so if we can get 2 or 3 more fights, that would put us in a good position; maybe fight for a NABO or NABF to get us in the rankings. That way we could really make a push for the remainder of the year and following year. I think being in this Maryland and D.C. area, I think this is the mecca of boxing, I really do. We have a tremendous talent pool. We have great fighters that are not only in my weight class, but around my weight class, so sparring and things like that, and we are all supporting each other and behind each other. So that is a constant motivation to keep me in the gym because you do compare yourself to the other guys that are around you. Steal sharpens steal, so you never want to get dull.
PC: When fans watch you fight, what do you feel they are going to take away from it?
JD: All of my fans say I went into the guy's hometown in Philly and I came out with a lot of fans and people saying, “Man, you really can box.” I’m fast, slick, and I think that’s the dimension that my fans appreciate. I’m not afraid to mix it up and I’m willing to get in there and hold my ground, so I think they get a good view of all of the dimensions. I can box, counterpunch, press, and I can switch up from southpaw to orthodox. I think they will just get an overall view of someone who is exciting, plus someone who understands the craft of boxing.
PC: I appreciate the time. Good luck to you and we will speak again soon. Is there anything else you want to add?
JD: Just let everyone know if they wanna follow me on social media, I’m very active on Instagram and my Instagram is @3ent_boxx and stay on the lookout, we going to be making some noise soon.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]