article: Media playback is not supported on this device Plenty about those days, growing up as teenage boy in north London who weighed more than 20 stone, must have been difficult. But without that experience, Davis says he would never have learnt the skills that last month saw him become Great Britain's first European champion in fencing. "I was 132 kilos. I was always a big lad. But that didn't stop me being good," Davis, who turned 23 at the start of this month, told BBC London. "The speed of my hand was good. It's a sport where you can learn the basics whatever size you are. "I always knew I had it in me, I always knew I could do it, but perhaps some people around me didn't. Perhaps when they lost to me they would think 'how did I lose to this big kid'." When the World Championships begin in Kazan on Tuesday, hopes are high that Davis can go on to become the first Briton to make it onto the podium in the event since 1965. While being overweight on the junior circuit might not have been a barrier to success, to really make it in the sport Davis realised he had to prioritise fencing over food. "I was technically very good but the fitness wasn't there. I would get to a certain point and then I would start to die," he said. "I had to make a choice. Do I want to be successful in this sport? The answer was yes. so I had to lose this weight. "I lost it through working with my strength and conditioning coach Jon Cree at Middlesex University, who were supporting me on their scholarship scheme when I was not part of the World-Class programme. "I started eating well, cut out all the rubbish and just started drinking water. Since I've turned professional I've trained every day and it pays off. "There is no way someone my size could have made it onto the senior circuit, but it's a sport that does offer something for everyone who is starting out. "I'd encourage anyone to give it a go. I learnt so much in those fat days that is still relevant today." Last month at the European Championships in Strasbourg, Davis, who nowadays stands at 6ft 4in (1.94m) and weighs 98kg (15st 6lbs), beat Russia's Alexey Cheremisinov 15-11 in the foil final. It was his first championship gold medal and his country's first European title. While Britain's Gwendoline Neligan originally won European gold back in 1933, that event in Budapest was later re-classified as a World Championships and Neligan was awarded the world title instead. Davis, who grew up and lived in Barnet until the end of last year, puts his recent success down to his relocation to San Francisco. Last November he moved out to California to train with some of the top-ranked US fencers. Davis continued: "Immediately I thought 'wow, something's working here'. "Training is amazing out there, the guys are incredible. They are world class and they have such a big
summary: James Davis calls them his "fat old days".