Broken Dreams: Robbie Davies Jnr frustrated by injury, but frustrated more by insult – Boxing News

JUST over two weeks have passed since Robbie Davies Jnr took an innocuous step away from a Darragh Foley's right hand and felt his legs crumble beneath him. The shock of leaving the ring with a broken fibula has worn off and his rehabilitation program is about to begin.

At the moment, all Davies can do is think and one thing plays on his mind more than anything else.

It frustrates him more than being forced to the couch with nothing to do but watch endless hours of daytime television. It annoys him even more than the itching in the cast that he just can't reach.

“It's been put down as a TKO loss,” he said. “No punch landed at all in the third round so how did it [referee] Marcus McDonnell start a bill? You can see on the replays that he's looking right at it. He's not at an awkward angle or anything. I take a step back, Foley throws a punch, I'm way out of reach and you just see my leg crumble under me and I fall to the floor. The ref starts to count but even then, as I roll over, I look at Shane [McGuigan, his trainer] and say to him, ‘It has broken.' Out of pride, I still jump up, thinking: “You don't count me out, there was no blow.”

“Immediately after I went down, Shane started waving the white towel. It was a pension.

“Being carried out of the ring because your leg is broken is not something that you ever think about, but the worst thing is websites that put ‘TKO for Foley' and post a photo of me on my back with him looking over me. “

Robbie Davies Jr looks on (Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Davies still harbors some hope that he might be able to go through official channels and get the result of the fight changed, something that would at least soothe his wounded pride while he works out the full repercussions of that night in Liverpool.

The former British, Commonwealth and European super-flyweight champion knows a decisive defeat would be difficult to come back from at this stage of his career, but how the fight played out is another source of frustration for the Liverpudlian. For a round and a half, Davies looked – and felt – good, then a right hook from Foley changed everything.

“It was just a high-pressure fight because he was a late replacement because I was supposed to fight Liam Paro. In that one he had everything to lose and I had everything to win. With the change of opponent, the shoe went on the other foot,” Davies said .

“I've always been a slow starter, but I probably had the best first round I've ever had in my life. He beat me once in two rounds. I got so comfortable in the first round and a little bit that my hands got a little low. I leaned back and he struck a blow.

“I jumped up so quickly in embarrassment. I told him ‘good shot' and laughed. The bell rings and Shane asked how I was doing. I told him I was fine and then he asked how my ankle was. He said that he had seen my body weight land on my ankle before it ducked back under me. I sat down on the stool and he gives me instructions and I just felt warmth wrap around my leg. The clap went and he asked “Are you okay? ” and I said ‘I'll tell you now'.”

Davies didn't have to wait long to find out. Normally, any incident or unusual finish has reporters in the press seats craning their necks for a glimpse of the television crew's supervisors for a replay. This time, no one felt the need for a second look. Davies sat – somehow – calmly on a stool while the doctors attended to him, but the look on his face told the story.

“I've never broken a big bone, but I just knew it was broken. It was either wait for the stretcher or just get out of the ring. When I got into the back I sat down and they offered me drugs and morphine but I didn't need it. They took me to the hospital and I sat on a bed. I started to cool down and the adrenaline left me. I started to feel it and they gave me something for it. No pain actually came. I just felt it start to sting a little. “

Boxing is fast. Foley saw the fight as an underdog late on, but it didn't take long for the rumor mill to start turning with speculation that the result would see him parachute right into a big fight. Davies has had his fair share of misfortune and would usually find it hard to begrudge a fellow fighter who is tapping into a touch of fortune but, at 33, he has to think selfishly. Davies feels he still has a lot to give but needs meaningful fights rather than pure revenge missions. Fixing the score in a rematch may consume his thoughts as he sits in his living room watching Holly and Phil, but he'll have to see things play out before he can plot a way back.

“People don't have to think about me being out for the rest of the year,” Davies said.

“I'm on it. In the ring Foley started celebrating but he came up to me and said he didn't understand what had happened. He said I didn't have to give him the chance so I could have a rematch, that would be it right thing to do. He tells me this and I don't give him much back. My head just fell off. I just look at him and nod. That was the last thing on my mind at the time.

“At this level you normally fight twice a year. We fought in March so anytime from the end of July to September I'll be back. I want the fight so, so bad. It's so frustrating.”