Now, in the autumn of his snooker career, Davis has suffered again at the hands of 45-year-old Morgan.
The Welshman beat The Nugget to become this year's World Seniors champion.
And, yes, it was a fi nal frame decider this time too although, being a best-of-three match at the East of England Showground arena, Peterborough, it was a little shorter than the Irish Masters went to the wire between the pair back in 1996.
Morgan has won British, European and world titles in the amateur game since his retirement, having dominated the Masters scene in places from Malta to Thailand.
Nevertheless, winning the World Seniors was as good as the victory which thrust him onto the professional scene in the fi rst place, his 1987 World Amateur Championships victory in India.
For, instead of the Masters series with the amateur players from around the world, the Seniors was packed full of past green baize greats, including former world champions Cliff Thorburn, John Parrott, Joe Johnson and Dennis Taylor as well as Davis.
In fact, he was on course to make a 147 maximum break in the fi nal, potting eight reds and eight blacks for an 86 in the second frame before missing the ninth.
And he took the deciding frame from Davis - again - with a break of 60 to give him the world title - and signal the start of a party when he got home a few days later.
His World Seniors trophy stands proudly alongside all his others, including that World Amateur cup, in his trophy cabinet.
"It's got to be up there with the best moments of my career," said Morgan. "I know that the World Masters titles were important but there were so many of the old pros there at this one.
"It's just nice to be here and to be a world champion. When I won other titles in the pro game, I didn't really have a party - but I had one this time!"
It ranks up there with the 1999 Nations Cup victory when he was joined by Mark Williams, Matthew Stevens and Dominic Dale to beat a glittering Scottish line-up to take the title.
Morgan added: "I didn't realise how big a deal it was. The World Masters that I've won before are amateur titles but everyone was there for the World Seniors.
"I just entered it to meet up with a couple of old friends I hadn't seen for a few years and, although a couple of people didn't believe me afterwards, I had hardly picked a cue up for three months before the tournament."
Morgan has been asked several times about trying to re-join the professional circuit again. It would mean a year on the Welsh amateur circuit - he was president of the Welsh Snooker Association for a while - and reaching the top echelons of the nation's ranking events or taking the Welsh knock-out title.
But he now runs a trophy and clothing business in a shop beneath the Red Triangle Club in Cross Keys where his career pictures hang on the walls and his trophies stand proudly in their cabinets.
And now, right alongside the World Amateur trophy won all those years ago, is the new one. He said: "I am proud to have done this for my family and my friends but it was good to also prove I can do it for myself again."
issue19twothousand&twelve sportingwales
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