By Keith Idec

Boxers tend to plead ignorance regarding odds on their fights, but Liam Walsh wasn’t about to do that.

The unbeaten British contender knows exactly how handicappers have given him little chance of defeating Gervonta Davis on Saturday night in London. The 30-year-old Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) is a 3-1 underdog, according to most Internet sports books, in their 12-round fight for the undefeated Davis’ IBF super featherweight title.

Walsh admitted during a recent conference call that those odds have given him an edge while preparing for the biggest fight of his nine-year pro career.

“It gives me a little extra motivation because all me friends are betting on me,” Walsh said. “So when I win, we’ll all [celebrate] that night. They’ll have a good night out of it. At the end of the day, I like [the odds]. It’s the first time in my pro career I’ve been the underdog and I’m enjoying it. I really am. I’m thriving off it.”

Walsh, a southpaw from Cromer, England, could understand if Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) were a slight favorite. The powerful champion from Baltimore dismantled previously unbeaten Jose Pedraza (22-1, 12 KOs) to win his 130-pound title in his last fight, has knocked out 94 percent of his opponents and has been billed by promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a future superstar.

But 3-1? Walsh views those odds as a bit disrespectful.

“I don’t think I’m the favorite,” Walsh explained. “I’m certainly not a 3-1 underdog, which is what I’m being told [I am] with the bookmakers. When I was told I was a 3-1 underdog, I thought I must’ve been fighting three people because I’ve never been a 3-1 underdog. I don’t know where those odds come from, but yeah, I’m a big underdog apparently. So that is certainly not [the case] in my eyes. And in my eyes, it isn’t a shock, either, when I win this title. It ain’t a massive shock.

“Obviously the U.S. fans think it’s gonna be a walkover, but they couldn’t be more wrong. That couldn’t be further from the truth. But I’ll happily get to work on the night and show I’m the better man on the 20th. But I can understand him being a slight favorite, with all the hype behind him, with Mayweather and what have you. But 3-1 is baffling. I’m shocked that they are getting that excited. But we will find out.”

Showtime will air Davis-Walsh at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT in the United States. It’ll be broadcast by BoxNation in the United Kingdom as part of a telecast set to start at 7:30 p.m. GST.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.