Davies Jr. himself fights in the 140 lbs division, so more than most, has a reason to keep an eye on the tournament.
The popular scouser certainly had some strong opinions on some of the tournament’s potential early matches.
“Some of the fighters in that tournament are good fighters, but some of them are really limited. Even in some of the early matchups, I would bet my mortgage on who’s going to win the first fight,” Davies Jnr exclusively told World Boxing News.
“The tournament won’t get good until the semi-finals in my opinion, because you know who is going to win the quarter-finals,” he added.
Discussing the specific matchups, Davies Jr said: “Kiryl Relikh is fighting Troyanovsky and he’s 38. I know he’s only lost once, but the last time he fought anyone he got knocked spark out. Relikh will win that one.
“Yigit is fighting Baranchyk and he’s been dropped in his last three fights. He’s just an out and out brawler. Yigit will just completely outbox him.
“Regis Prograis will be there and thereabouts in the final because he is a good fighter, but he is small for the weight. Someone big for the weight like Josh Taylor might just be too much for him with his range,” Davies Jr. predicted.
The burning question for Davies Jr is who he thinks will come out on top, but he doesn’t see that as cut and dry as the early rounds.
“Off the top of my head, I couldn’t tell you who will win.” He said. “Some of them have been tested, some of them haven’t.
“Some of them have taken losses and come back. I know Josh Taylor is a great fighter but he hasn’t fought anyone like Relikh who will come steaming in for twelve rounds.
“If Maurice Hooker goes in he’s very long and rangy with a good right hand, but I don’t think he’s that good and I can see him losing to someone early on,” concluded the new Matchroom fighter.
Thomas Davison is a staff writer for World Boxing News. Follow Thomas on Twitter @thomasdavison93
