Omar delivers a truly chilling one shot KO
Davis has his hand raised by Chris Dean. Pic: Jack Perry
CONSTRUCTION worker Omar Davis delivered a frightening, wrecking ball demolition job at Coventry’s Sports Connexions last night.
The tall, muscular super-middle unleashed one brutal, arrow-straight right hand to separate Zane Clark from his senses at 24 seconds of the third round.
It was, frankly, a disturbing knockout that unfolded inches from my ringside pew.
Spray flew from the Sheffield boxer’s head as the big punch connected, he collapsed to the floor and, after receiving oxygen, it seemed an eternity before the man rose to his feet.
He was well and truly starched.
Omar, to his credit, showed concern for his stricken opponent, and signalled fans to keep their celebrations on hold.
Thankfully, Clark left the ring unaided and on steady legs.
Davis, aged 27, entered the game an unknown commodity after having only two amateur contests.
The Birmingham boxer, now living in Walsall, is rapidly making a name for himself.
Clark with Eastside’s Paul “Soggy” Counihan (left) and Jon Pegg
He has a languid, loose style, hits hard and possesses the showmanship social media craves.
For this, his second, fight, Davis entered the ring in Hannibal Lecter orange prison jumpsuit, “Guilty” emblazoned on its back.
It was fitting apparel. Omar was a monster in the ring.
Clark’s confidence had been buoyed by a valiant draw with Ryan Whelan only weeks ago. He came to repeat the heroics against another Jon Pegg boxer – and that ambition proved his downfall.
After the crushing KO, Pegg outlined plans to plunge Davis into 10 round class within eight fights. That’s fast-tracking and then some.
Davis, a man never lost for words, agrees with the schedule.
“I’m ready,” he told me. “I’m sparring boxers preparing for 12 round fights.”
Of the dramatic victory, he said: “I was frightened for him. I went to the crowd and told them to calm it down.
“Thankfully, he was OK. We want to win, we want to score knockouts, but we want to return safe and healthy to our families.
“He came to fight and that was his downfall.
“I had more nerves for this one than my debut because the journey is real now. With the second fight you know you have to keep it coming. It’s a lonely sport.”
Davis (12st 1lb 2oz) used his long left lead like a paintbrush during the early going, dabbing with it, waving it in Clark’s face, then unloaded with spite.
Both were spoken to by referee Chris Dean in the second after Clark (12st 3lbs 4oz) tumbled to the floor for a second time. After that lecture, Omar began putting more meat into his punches.
Clark, who has now lost 10 of 12 (one draw), always looked to bang back and connected with a right of his own in the closing seconds of the session.
To his credit, he attempted to fight fire with fire – and that bravery saw him badly burned in the third.
It remains too early to say if Davis will climb to the top of his profession.
Watching him try is going to be very entertaining and very colourful.
In his debut, Davis dance and sang to disco classic Ain’t No Stopping Us Now. For his second contest, he took inspiration from The Silence Of The Lambs.
What is he dreaming up for his third ring walk? Answers on a postcard please.