Tag Archives: Davis

Posted on 02/04/2020

By: Sean Crose

Gervonta Davis has been charged with simple battery/domestic violence by the Coral Gables, Florida police department. The WBA lightweight champion reportedly turned himself in on Tuesday after a video made the rounds during the weekend showing the 23-0 fighter grabbing his ex-girlfriend by the throat and forcefully removing her from the audience of a charity basketball game. “As the result of an ongoing investigation,” the police report read under a mug shot of Davis, “after being notified through social media and the victim, on February 1, 2020, the above pictured subject was observed battering his former girlfriend whom have a child together.”

“I never once hit her,” Davis claimed after the incident in a since deleted tweet, “yea I was aggressive and told her come on… that’s the mother of my child.” The video has led to widespread condemnation. It has also led to some connecting Davis’ behavior to the sport of boxing overall. Couple this latest incident with previous questionable endeavors, and run ins with the law, and Davis’ rise as a top draw in the sport is raising eyebrows. Up until this point, however, he has remained a popular ring attraction.

For Davis is widely regarded as one of the biggest potential stars in boxing. Lightning fast and hard hitting, the 25 year old wins and wins in exciting fashion. Self control is not known to be Davis’s strong suit, however. He’s missed weight before a major fight and has faced police charges in 2017 and 2019 respectively. Neither charge, however, led to a conviction for Davis, who has been being groomed to be a pay per view attraction. Davis’ last fight was in late December, when he bested gritty veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa for the vacant WBA world lightweight title.

Davis is far from the first boxer to be accused of criminal acts. Ring stars from Floyd Mayweather to Mike Tyson to Jake LaMotta to Carlos Monzon have faced serious charges and/or consequences for illegal, sometimes outright brutal behavior. One of Davis contemporaries, former light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev, is currently facing charges of sexual assault in California.

Davis, who has been boxing professionally since 2013, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, and has won major belts in two weight divisions. As of press time, he has not officially commented on his arrest, nor has he commented on the charges against him. 

Posted on 12/31/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Slow down the coronation and pump the breaks on the victory parades. 

Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) may have defeated Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs) via 12th round stoppage at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, but it wasn’t the sort of performance that any of us were expecting to see. 

Gamboa is a gold medalist and former multiple division world champion, but he’s also 38 years old. If you want to forget about his age than sure, no problem. In the co main event of the night we did see 37 year old Jean Pascal and 36 year old Badou Jack provide us with one of the best fights of the year. 

So casting age to the side, Davis still should have gotten rid of Gamboa in much quicker fashion. The former champion did after all tear his Achilles tendon in the second round and somehow managed to fight essentially one leg. 

For his efforts, Gamboa deserves a badge of honor, Davis though, should return back to the drawing board. Issues with his weight coming in coupled with what seemed to be a lack of stamina left many wondering just how serious did he take this fight? 

Still, even with those negative points, Davis is a star with the potential to become a constant fixture on the pound for pound rankings. 

Following his win, he claimed that he was the top dog in the division. 

Is that right? 

If he truly believes that then he should have no problem taking on any, if not all of the names on this list of opponents. 

Josh Taylor

Josh Taylor currently campaigns one division higher at 140 pounds, but these two have a bit of history with one another. Taylor picked up the biggest win of his career earlier this year in October when he defeated then undefeated Regis Prograis. The win not only brought Taylor another world title, but many now view him as the best in the division. Shortly after his win, the two were seen going back and forth on Twitter. Davis most notably revealed that he would move up in weight to take Taylor and not only beat him, but stop him. The talk on Twitter was fun, but now it’s time to prove it. 

Vasiliy Lomachenko 

We all know that Lomachenko has been chomping at the bit for a matchup with Davis. Too many times have we heard excuses as to why the contest won’t come to fruition. Now that they are both at the same weight class, there is no reason as to why it can’t and won’t happen. Technically, Lomachenko is already wrapped up at the moment as he is slated to take on Teofimo Lopez in April of 2020. Still, if given the choice between Lopez and Davis, Lomachenko would choose Davis ten out ten times. Do I really need to list the reasons as to why this contest needs to take place next? No. This would be hands down one of the biggest fights in all of boxing. 

Leo Santa Cruz

In terms of big names, there just isn’t many that can justify headlining a pay-per-view. Leo Santa Cruz is an interesting fighter. He’s one of the best regardless of weight class, but he will have to move up in order to make this contest a reality. His resume is reminiscent of a graveyard for great fighters. He’s beaten Carl Frampton, Abner Mares (twice) and Kiki Martinez to name a few. Also don’t forget, Cruz is a four weight world champion. 

A win over Davis would gift Cruz with a fifth. That’s the sort of opportunity that Cruz just isn’t likely to pass up on.

Posted on 12/29/2019

By: Sean Crose

Atlanta’s State Farm Arena hosted a Premiere Boxing Champions card on Saturday featuring a scheduled 12 rounder between rising star Gervonta “Tank” Davis and skillful veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa. At stake was the WBA lightweight title. The first fight on the card was a scheduled 10 round affair between Lionell Thompson, 21-5, and the 29-3-0 Jose Uzcategui.Thompson was able to drop his man in the first. The second and third saw Thompson, who was the considerably shorter man, engage in a disciplined fight.The referee took a point away from Thompson in the fourth.

The fifth saw Uzcategui fight in a kind of ineffective lull. The sixth didn’t offer much in the way of excitement, though Thompson controlled the tempo. Uzcategui pursued his man in the seventh, as he had the entire fight up until that point, though perhaps more effectively than he had previously. Thompson landed hard and well in the eighth, though Uzcategui was somewhat impressive in the ninth. Thompson, however, appreared to take the tenth, as well as a unanimous decision win. 

The next match was a WBA light heavyweight championship bout between defending champ Jean Pascal, 34-6-1, and the popular Badu Jack, 22-2-3. The first round was a rather entertaining affair, though Pascal may have edged it. Pascal went on to fire effectively in the second. Pascal’s jab worked well in the third, though Jack was able to land well on his man. Jack hurt his man in the fourth…but Pascal was able to drop Jack later in the round. Jack got up and was arguably saved by the bell.

Jack held strong in the fifth, but Pascal landed ferociously throughout. Jack arguably looked better in the seventh, while the eighth was close…and quite exciting. Both men traded well in the ninth. The tenth was.. again…a close affair. Jack pushed the action in the eleventh. The last round saw Jack send his man to the mat. Pascal got up and Jack unleashed thunder. Jack held on strong, denying Jack the knockout. Pascal ended up swinging hard at the bell. 

Pascal walked out with a split decision win.
It was time for the main event. Tank Davis, 22-0, walked into the ring a rising star. Gamboa, 30-2, was seen as a talented, effective fighter who was nontheless past his prime, a man with something to prove. Davis’ highly impressive precision told the story in the first. Davis dropped Gamboa in the second. Gamboa got up, but his leg appeared hurt. 

In the third, Showtime’s Paulie Malignaggi claimed Gamboa’s shoe was broken. Ironically, Gamboa had a better round. Davis did good work in the fourth. Davis then landed some explosive shots in the fifth…yet Gamboa didn’t get finished off. Needless to say, Davis dominated the sixth.

With his foot no longer appearing to bother him, Gamboa tried to put his punches together in the seventh. He may have won the round. Davis sent his man to the mat at the end of the eighth. Gamboa was able to beat the count. Gamboa then held his way through the ninth. Both men landed well in the tenth. Tellingly, Davis looked exhausted. Gamboa held in the eleventh, while Davis appeared gassed until the final seconds of the round.

Davis came out guns blazing in the 12th, and was able to drop his man once more. The referee stopped the fight.

Posted on 12/28/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Gervonta Davis (22-0, 21 KOs) is a star. Or at least, that is what Mayweather promotions believes. 

After a disappointing 2018, in which Davis entered the ring just once, Davis will be making his third appearance on the 2019 calendar when he takes on former champion, although long faded, Yuriokis Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs). The contest is set to take place tonight at the State Farm Arena, in Atlanta Georgia. 

Let’s backtrack for a second. 

As previously mentioned, Davis is viewed as a star. Yet, he is seldom, if ever, mentioned on any reputable pound for pound list. 

Is Davis a star? It’s hard to argue against it. 

He has sold out show after show this year and has been bombarded with autograph request whenever he is seen in the public eye. 

However, having star power and being considered one of the best fighters in the world are two different things. In an ideal world, any fighter would rather the latter. Having screaming and adoring fans are great, but what does it truly mean if no one believes you are one of the best in the world? 

A win against Gamboa would prove that Davis is in fact a pound for pound level fighter. If this fight had taken place about five years ago. 

Gamboa is clearly past his prime, but at one point in his career, he was considered one of the very best fighters in the world. His 2014 contest against Terence Crawford is still considered by many to be the most difficult contest for who many believe is the best pound for pound fighter in Crawford.

“I watched the Crawford vs. Gamboa fight, that’s the fight I actually keep watching,” said Davis. “Gamboa was touching him up in the beginning of rounds because Crawford was too wide. So, I took that and tried to not be wide, like throwing a lot of round punches.”

If Davis is concerned with that version of Gamboa showing up tonight, then he certainly has nothing to worry about. 

Outside of Gamboa and his camp, no one is expecting him to put up much of a fight, let alone win. It may not seem like a big contest on the outside looking in, but for Davis this is his opportunity to make a huge statement. 

When Crawford and Gamboa met in 2014, although it was a competitive matchup, Gamboa was ultimately stopped in the ninth round. That seemingly doesn’t bold well for Gamboa as Davis has stopped all but one opponent. 

The questions surrounding Davis and his pound for pound ranking will be officially be put to bed if he can manage to stop Gamboa faster than Crawford did.

“If I do, it would tell that I’m top five, pound-for-pound, for sure.”

If Davis truly believes that a top five pound for pound spot awaits him with an impressive stoppage victory over Gamboa than we might as well pencil in his spot now. 

Posted on 12/26/2019

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night, one of Mayweather Promotions prized signings, Gervonta “Tank” Davis, will take on former unified featherweight world champion Yoriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight Title.

This bout will be a part of a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card to be televised live on Showtime from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.  The co-main event of the night will be a WBA Light Heavyweight Title Fight between Jean Pascal and Badou Jack.

Other bouts on the undercard will include a super middleweight bout between Jose Uzcategui and Lionell Thompson and aIBF/WBO Junior Featherweight eliminator between Angelo Leo and Cesar Juarez.  

The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the night.

Jean Pascal (34-6-1) vs. Badou Jack (22-2-3); WBA Light Heavyweight Title

Despite the fact he’s currently thirty seven years old, Jean Pascal was able to defeat father time and score the upset win over Marcus Browne when he was last seen in a ring in August of 2019.

On Saturday he’ll be facing an opponent closer to his age, a thirty six year old Badou Jack, when he defends his title.

Pascal will have about a two and a half inch height advantage as well as about an inch reach advantage over Jack.  Both boxers had successful amateur careers.  Pascal is Canadian Amateur National Champion and competed in the 2004 Olympics.  Jack is a Swedish National Amateur Champion and competed in the 2008 Olympics.

Pascal has been slightly more active than Jack.  He fought once in 2019, twice in 2018, and two times in 2017.  Jack has fought once in 2019, once in 2018, and twice in 2017.

Pascal has defeated the likes of Marcus Browne, Ahemd Albiali, Yunieski Gonzalez, Lucian Bute, Chad Dawson, and Adrian Diaconu.  His loses were to Dmitry Bivol, Eleider Alvarez, Sergey Kovalev (twice), Carl Froch, and Bernard Hopkins.

Jack has defeated the likes of Nathan Cleverly, Lucian Bute, George Groves, Anthony Dirrell, and Farrah Ennis.  His losses were to Derek Edwards and Marcus Browne.

This is a tough bout to pick, as both boxers are relatively the same age and evenly matched.  Pascal appears to have a slight power advantage as he has more stoppage wins than Jack.

This writer has to give a very slight edge to Pascal, but believes this is a pick-em fight. 

Gervonta Davis (22-0) vs. Yoriorkis Gamboa (30-2); WBA Lightweight Title

If this fight happened when Gamboa was five years younger, it would have been considered a must watch fight.

However, Gamboa is thirty eight years old now, thirteen years Davis’ elder, and is clearly past his athletic prime.  He’s still in good shape, and his deep amateur background may give Davis some issues early on, but Davis’ age and power will be difficult for Gamboa to overcome.

Davis and Gamboa are the same height, but Davis will have a two and a half inch reach advantage over Gamboa.  They both had stellar amateur careers, with Davis being a Police Athletic League National Champion and a Golden Gloves National Champion.  Gamboa however had the better international career as an amateur, as he won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Gamboa does have a significant edge in power.  He has stopped twenty one of his twenty two opponents, while Gamboa has only stopped eighteen opponents and has two stoppage losses on his resume.

Both boxers have been fairy inconsistent with their activity.  Davis fought twice in 2019 and only once in 2018, but fought three times in 2017.  Gamboa fought once in 2019 and once in 2018, but fought four times in 2017.

Davis has been been defeated, or come close to it.  He has beaten the likes of Ricardo Nunez, Hugo Ruiz, Jesus Cuellar, Francisco Fonseca, Liam Walsh, and Jose Pedraza.  Even though Gamboa is thirty eight years old, this is likely the toughest test of Davis’ career.

Gamboa has defeated the likes of Roman Martinez, Miguel Beltran Jr., Jason Sosa, Darleys Perez, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Jonathan Barros, and Orlando Salido.  His losses were to Robinson Castellanos and Terence Crawford.

Gamboa should he ready for this fight, as a loss will surely spell the end of him receiving legitimate title shots.  However, Davis is just too young and too powerful for Gamboa, who has shown an ability to get knocked out.

Davis might have problems early on against Gamboa, but should end the fight strong and maybe stop Gamboa late. 

Posted on 11/27/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The next pay per view star? Gervonta Davis (22-0, 21 KOs) will be looking to prove he is just that as he takes on Yuriokis Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs) on December 28th. Their contest is slated to take place at the State Farm Arena, in Atlanta.

Over and over again, Gervonta Davis and Mayweather promotions have claimed that he will be the next pay per view star in the sport of boxing starting in 2020. However, before he gets to that point, he will need to get past multiple division champion Yuriokis Gamboa.

Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions Twitter Account

Since suffering an upset defeat at the hands of Robinson Castellanos back in 2017, Gamboa has reeled off four straight victories. The latter coming at the expense of former world champion Roman Martinez. Gamboa will be 38 by the time these two step in the ring with one another, and although he isn’t the fighter that he once was, Davis still views him as a threat.

“December 28 is going to be an action packed fight,” said Davis. “And not just my fight, but the whole card is going to be great. We’re training hard right now so we can live up to the hype. This is going to be a big event on December 28, not just a boxing show. I want to keep getting better and better inside that squared circle. I hope Gamboa brings the best out of me so that people can see that I’m not just a power puncher. I have a lot of boxing skills.”

This is a contest that spells trouble for Gamboa. At one point in his career he was a constant fixture on just about everyone’s pound for pound list. He was after all a champion in numerous divisions and an Olympic gold medalist back in 2004. However, that was over 15 years ago.

The one advantage that Gamboa has in his favor is that he will walk into this contest as the bigger man as this will be the first contest for Davis in the Lightweight division. Yet, the undefeated Davis is unafraid of the extra weight advantage that his opponent will have as he is looking to place his name amongst the other great fighters that have come before him.

“Coming up in weight is something that I know I have to do to be great. Gamboa is a tough opponent. He’s a gold medalist who hits hard. I’m going to test the waters and December 28 I’m going to show everyone what I can do.”

Davis, 25, has yet to face anyone who can truly push him. Yet, in the case of Gamboa, despite his age, we could see Davis pushed to the brink. It might seem unlikely to anyone else, but that is the mindset that Davis is carrying with him into this contest.

“I believe this is the biggest test of my career so far. He’s very accomplished and we know that he’s explosive and comes to fight. He’s a tough opponent but we’re ready. We’re not taking him lightly at all. This is a really big challenge for me and we know that Gamboa is a bigger guy. He’s an action packed fighter with power and speed. It’s going to be great for the sport and we’re going to make it a great night. The fans should expect action on December 28. I’m going to give it my all and I’m going to put him down on his face.”

As for Gamboa, he has never been known as a trash talker and he stayed true to form during this press conference.

“I recognize that Gervonta has done great things so far in his career,” said Gamboa. “He’s had his glory, and I’ve had mine. I’ve been champion in different weight classes. We’re putting the work in and I assure you December 28 will be a great test for both of us.”

Let’s face it, Gamboa is certainly long in the tooth and questions surrounding his durability is a legitimate one. With this quite possibly being his last chance at gold with his career winding down, he only sees himself walking out on December 28th with his hand raised.

I know that we’re both coming to win, but in my heart and my soul, I see myself winning on December 28. I’ll leave it all in the ring to do so.

“Everyone in Atlanta is going to see a great war. It’s going to be two warriors fighting in the middle of that ring and may the best man win that night.”

Posted on 10/30/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Josh Taylor (16-0, 12 KOs) did what many weren’t expecting him to do this past weekend. In front of his hometown crowd at the O2 Arena, Taylor won a close decision over Regis Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs). In the process, Taylor unified his IBF Super Lightweight title with Prograis WBA version. Not only did Taylor become a unified champion, but he also brung home the Muhammad Ali trophy as he won the final match of the World Boxing Super Series.

It was the biggest win for Taylor in a career that has already seen him win his fair share of big contest.

Taylor has always been regarded as an exceptional fighter, but his win over Prograis, who was deemed the best fighter in the division, was a real eye opener. An obvious matchup with the divisions other unified champion in Jose Ramirez would be one of the biggest fights out there.

Ramirez may seem like the clear target for Taylor, but another former world champion has made it known that he has his eyes set on a showdown with the Brit in the not so distant future.

Gervonta Davis, who has a December 28th, date with former multiple division champion Yuriorkis Gamboa, has expressed an interest in taking on Taylor who resides one division above his own.

A matchup between the two would be intriguing and quite possibly a very competitive one. However, Davis feels that the contest will be anything but competitive.

“After 135 I’ll move up to 140 and fight Josh Taylor,” said Davis via Twitter. “I will stop you. I promise you that, 7-8 rd to be exact.”

Taylor took the time to stop his victory celebration to respond to Davis on Twitter as well.

“Never make promises you can’t deliver. They don’t call me the hype job killer for nothing.”

Davis has never been known as the sort of fighter to call out an opponent. He must have seen something in Taylor in his contest against Prograis that has allowed him to speak with such confidence. If this contest was to take place, Davis would enter the ring with multiple disadvantages from a physical standpoint.

It’s true that Davis is one of the hardest hitting fighters in the sport, but so was Taylor’s last opponent in Regis Prograis. Taylor was able to nullify much of Prograis power shots. When the Brit was caught however, which did happen often, he responded liked well and did not seem to be in any major trouble throughout the contest.

A matchup between the two has never been thought of, but it would be one of the biggest in all of boxing. A win over a fighter such as Taylor would prove that Davis is in fact the super star that many have pegged him out to be.

First things first however, Davis must get pass Yuriorkis Gamboa on the 28th of December. If he is able to win that contest and capture another world title in the process, then a showdown with Taylor will be on the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Posted on 10/28/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Gervonta Davis is a champion both inside, and outside of the boxing ring. On October 26th, he was treated as such by his hometown fans in Baltimore with a parade in his honor.

Davis, who is a two weight world champion, has experienced plenty of success inside of the ring. In January of 2017, Davis captured his first world title when he knocked out former belt holder Jose Pedraza in the seventh round of their showdown.

Photo Credit: Gervonta Davis Twitter Account

After losing his title on the scales later that year, Davis would go on to regain his championship status by stopping former titlist Jesus Cuellar. Following several successful title defenses, Davis recently decided it was time to move up in weight. On December 28th, at the State Farm Arena, in Atlanta, Davis will attempt to win another world championship when he takes on former multiple division champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Although Davis has a ton of star power, it was his most recent ring appearance that truly catapulted him in the eyes of Baltimore fans. On July 27th, Davis got another routine stoppage win, this time over late replacement opponent Ricardo Nunez. It wasn’t just that Davis made look easy once again. Instead, what gained the most attention was that Davis defended his title in his hometown of Baltimore, at the Royal Farms Arena. It was the first time in nearly 80 years that a world champion that was born in Baltimore made a title defense back in the famed city.

In celebration of all that Davis has achieved in such a short time span, a parade was thrown in his honor. In attendance was the mayor of the city along with several senators and council members as well.

In addition to countless fans in attendance, numerous local bands, dancers and musicians came out to support Davis as well.

Being celebrated is an amazing honor in itself, but the appreciation of Davis reached a new level. It was announced that October 26th, will officially be named Tank Day.

During his celebration, Davis was seen giving handshakes and hugs while posing for endless pictures. For Davis, being able to touch the fans who have supported him for so many years has always been important to him.

‘I never wanted to be the guy that made it out and not be reachable to my people,” said Davis via his Instagram. “I rather be loved then feared…a champion embrace his people just as well as they embrace him.”

It’s clear that even with the star attention that Davis has garnered, that he is not forgetting his roots. With his status, it isn’t easy to thank everyone individually but he made sure to take the time to say how much the parade truly meant to him.

“It was really great to see so many people that I grew up with and so many people from my city. They’ve always supported me from day one so it really meant a lot to me for everyone to come out. Baltimore will always be home to me.”

With boxing stardom at his fingertips and an endless amount of world titles in his future, it is clear that Davis is still fueled by the city and the people who raised him.

Posted on 10/17/2019

By: Hans Themistode

After making a move to the Lightweight division, former Super Featherweight champion Gervonta Davis (22-0, 21 KOs) will be waisting no time as he will fight for a world title in his next fight.

After struggling to make weight at the Super Featherweight division for quite some time, Davis earlier this year, decided it was best for him to move up to a new weight and relinquish his title in the process.

On December 28th, he will attempt to become a two weight world champion when he takes on former belt holder Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs). The bout is believed to be taking place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, although there is an outside chance that New York could be in play as well.

For Gamboa, this is an opportunity he has been clamoring for. It has been over six years since he has held a world title. Now, he will get the chance to once again reclaim gold. Those aspirations however, seem farfetched at this point in the career of Gamboa.

At one point the Cuban born Gamboa was considered a pound for pound star. His future shined as bright, if not brighter, then anyone’s in the sport of boxing. Unfortunately, he was never quite able to reach his full potential.

Ongoing managerial issues saw Gamboa suffer from plenty of inactivity. In both 2012 and 2013, the former champion stepped into the ring just once. The following year, 2014, saw Gamboa face his toughest opponent ever. Terence Crawford.

The bout was in no means a one sided affair. At least not at first. Through the first three rounds, Gamboa was clearly outboxing his man. To the credit of Crawford he quickly adjusted his game plan and began to pick Gamboa apart. What ensued was four knockdowns and a ninth round stoppage. Gamboa had since rebounded to win three straight bouts before once again losing by stoppage, this time at the hands of Robinson Castellanos.

For what it’s worth, Gamboa is currently on a four fight win streak, including a stoppage win over another former champion in Roman Martinez.

In the case of Davis, he has quickly rose to become one of boxing’s biggest stars. His one punch knockout power has aided him in that effort. In 2017, Davis stopped then unbeaten champion Jose Pedraza in the seventh round of their title clash. It has been years since Davis has fought anyone even remotely respectable.

This matchup pits two fighters going in opposite directions. Davis is a budding star who has yet to fully unlock all of his potential. Gamboa on the other hand, at the age of 37, has already seen his time pass. Although he has never been seen as a push over at any point in his career, one must think that this is a bad matchup for him.

This contest will be contested for the vacant WBA “Regular” Lightweight title. The winner of this bout will be in the mandatory position to take on arguably the current pound for pound best fighter in the world, Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Posted on 09/04/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Gervonta Davis, at just the age of 24 is a two time world champion at Featherweight. He’ll now be looking to capture another world title, but this time at Lightweight as he has vacated his title and moved up in weight.

Davis goes by the alias “Tank” it’s because he hits as hard as one. It could also be because despite his five foot five frame, he is naturally a bigger fighter than what his weight class would indicate.

When Davis isn’t fighting, he often times blows up in weight. The process of cutting weight is never easy for Davis. In fact, he has already lost a title on the scales before. When he is prepared and fully focused, Davis loses the weight without much issue, but even then he looks weight drained and pale once he steps foot on the scale.

The issues he has suffered on the scale never seemed to affect him in the ring as he destroyed all of his opposition, but enough was enough.

The weight cutting issues have seemed to hit its breaking point since Davis has moved on from the Featherweight division. Dream fights against Tevin Farmer and Miguel Berchelt are officially a thing of the past.

Fight fans shouldn’t be too despondent about the news, instead, they should be rejoicing.

Davis now resides in the same weight class as pound for pound star, Vasiliy Lomachenko. A bout between the two has always been discussed but with the two campaigning in different weight classes, it was always thought to be nothing more than a pipe dream. Now that Davis has officially stepped into the weight class of Lomachenko this could pave the way for a super fight between the two.

As it currently stands, Lomachenko is in possession of every belt in the Lightweight division except for the IBF crown. With his move up in weight, the WBA has wasted no time in making Davis the number one contender in their sanctioning body. A collision course between the two seems destined to happen. When exactly it could happen is another question entirely.

It isn’t just Lomachenko who could challenge the 24 year old undefeated Davis but there is also the likes of Richard Commey, Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney to name a few.

Davis has been praised for his punching power, boxing ability and just overall skills. At Featherweight he was never truly tested. It isn’t because the weight division was lacking in talent but more so of the match making that has been made for him throughout his career thus far.

Tank is a very good fighter, but now that he is in the talent rich Lightweight division, he will be put to the test. Every fighter that currently campaigns at his division should be weary of his arrival. Even the fighter who most deem to be unbeatable in Vasiliy Lomachenko should have his eyes on Davis. He’s sure to be a force in his new division.

Posted on 07/29/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Another fight, another easy knockout win for WBA Super Featherweight champion Gervonta Davis.

Ricardo Nunez (21-3, 19 KOs) was the the 21st knockout victim at the hands of Davis in 22 pro fights. One thing that we all know about Davis is that he hates the judges. It’s been almost five years since he has left the fate of his undefeated record in their hands.

The career of Davis has been an outstanding one up to this point. With all but one contest going the full distance, it is hard to find something to complain about. He’s looked like a star.

The fighter nicknamed “Tank” seemingly has it all. The good looks, the swag, power and skill to be the biggest star in all of boxing. His manager, Floyd Mayweather, knows exactly what a star looks like as he was one himself for several years in his undefeated career.

“Tank is an unbelievable fighter,” Mayweather said. “He’s something special. This is a pay-per-view star. He has the charisma and the will to win. He has a big heart and has a great team behind him.”

Unbelievable? Yes.

Special? Questionable.

For as good as Davis has been in his career, there is still one glaring hole, his resume. Miguel Roman, Jezreel Corrales, Jamel Herring, Tevin Farmer, Miguel Berchelt and a host of other exceptional fighters currently reside in his weight class. Davis has fought none of them. Instead, he has continually stood across the ring from opponents who opposed no threat to him whatsoever.

His 2017 title fight against Jose Pedraza is the one exception. Pedraza has always been a very good fighter, but even still, he is not the sort of fighter that can force Davis to dig deep. With now 22 pro fights under his belt and two world titles to his name, Davis should be matched up with the top names that the division has to offer.

At just the age of 24, Davis has proven to be a very good fighter. He can prove that he is a great one if his level of opposition rises.

Posted on 07/28/2019

By: Sean Crose

Gervonta Davis was treated to a Baltimore homecoming on Saturday night as he faced Ricardo Nunez for his WBA world super featherweight title. The 21-0 Davis was widely expected to win the night, though the 21-2 Nunez walked into the ring boasting serious stopping power. The fight was aired live on Showtime as part of it’s Showtime Championship Boxing broadcast. The evening started off, however, with a scheduled 10 round bout between the 19-1 Ladarius Miller and the 23-2-0-1 Jezreel Corrales.

The first round seemed to essentially be a feeling out process. Corrales was aggressive in the second, though Miller’s jab was able to find a home. By the third round, the bout looked to be an almost excessively careful affair. Corrales’ forward momentum, however, may have edged the round for him. The fourth round saw each man land well on occasion. The lack of activity in the fifth was frustrating to watch – until the last the few seconds, when both men unloaded.

Miller received a small cut in the sixth due to a head clash. Each man once again was able to land well in the seventh. The eighth was symptomatic of the entire fight up until that point – inaction interrupted by brief bursts of activity. The ninth was rather uneventful. A point was oddly taken from Corrales in the tenth for holding, though it seemed like Miller was the one holding more throughout the round. Miller ended up taking a split decision win.

Next up, the 29-2 Yuriorkis Gamboa faced off against the 30-3-3 Roman Martinez in a scheduled 10 round super featherweight affair. Gamboa had quite an effective first round for himself, landing well and quickly. Gamboa sent his man down – and out – with a series of shots in the second. It was an impressive showing for a skilled vet looking for another shot at glory.

It was time for the main event. Both men were crisp and sharp in the first, though Davis began to land to the body well. A thunderous left hook shook Nunez in the second. Immediately hurt, Nunez tumbled back. Davis unloaded, landing with frightening precision. Referee Harvey Dock then stepped in and stopped the fight – to the puzzlement of the Showtime broadcast team. Indeed, the fight may arguably have been stopped a bit too soon. With boxing’s recent ring related deaths, however, it’s hard to blame Dock for erring on the side of caution.

After the fight, Davis impressively offered condolences for Maxim Dadashev and Hugo Alfredo Santillan, both of who died this week from ring related injuries. “I want Tevin my next fight,” he added later, referring to fellow divisional honcho Tevin Farmer, who was fighting at the same time. “It can get made.” Floyd Mayweather, a Davis mentor, also spoke in the ring after the fight. “Here’s pay per view star,” he said. “He (Davis) has the charisma, the will to win, he has a great team.”

“We don’t know,” the all time great responded when asked if he himself would return to the ring. “Only time will tell, but right now it’s only about Tank Davis.”

Posted on 07/26/2019

By: Hans Themistode

At just 24 years of age, Gervonta Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) is the youngest champion in the sport of boxing.

He has the look, skillset and charisma of a fighter who will be great for years to come. His July 27th, title defense of his WBA Super Featherweight world title will take place in Davis hometown of Baltimore. Why is this significant?

This will be the first championship bout to take place in Baltimore in almost 80 years. 79 to be exact, as the last Baltimore born fighter to defend his title at home was Featherweight champion Harry Jeffra in 1940 as he defeated Spider Armstrong. Mandatory challenger Ricardo Nunez (21-2, 19 KOs) will have the improbable task of defeating Davis in front of his screaming fans.

Davis, who first turned professional in 2013, has never fought in Baltimore before. With now six years of professional boxing under his belt, it seemed like the right call for Davis to perform in front of his hometown crowd.

“I believe it’s time for me to fight in front of my hometown and thank them for supporting me,” Davis said. “I never thought a fight in Baltimore would be this big. It gives me chills, but I’m ready for it. It’s a big test. I’ve been gone for so long and coming home feels amazing.”

Baltimore, has been the home to numerous world title holders such as, Dwight Qawi, Hasim Rahman and Vincent Pettway. It is these fighters that have helped paved the way for Davis. He is not oblivious to this fact and understands that he too must help continue the legacy that Baltimore has become known for.

“These guys from the past really motivate me, and I give much respect to the guys before me and the ones after me,” Davis said. “But right now I’m laying the foundation to make history. It’s the people that I see every day in Baltimore that motivate me. I can’t think about anybody that was in the past or the future. We are all worried about what’s in front of us right now.”

Posted on 02/10/2019

By: Hans Themistode

WBA Super Featherweight champion Gervonta Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) made his ring entrance to the song thriller by Michael Jackson. He sure gave one thrilling performance tonight in the ring as he destroyed Hugo Ruiz (39-5, 33 KOs).

The contest started with Davis stalking his much bigger opponent. Ruiz was fighting on his back foot but couldn’t get much of a rhythm. Several combinations landed for the champion as Ruiz began to bleed profusely from his nose. A clean left hook to the head forced Ruiz to take a knee. He managed to beat the count but the referee waved off the contest in the very first round. It was quite the performance from the young star. Davis wasn’t the only one on the card tonight who put on a show for the fans.

Jr Middleweight Erickson Lubin (20-1, 15 KOs) made a major statement tonight in becoming the first man to stop former champion Ishe Smith (29-11, 12 KOs) tonight. The win by Lubin did not come as a shock but the dominance he showed tonight was breathtaking.

Smith held the IBF title in 2013 and has consistently given even the upper echelon fighters a tough test. Coming into this contest Smith was looking to stop a two fight losing streak and vault himself back into title contention. Lubin on the other hand had other plans.

The contest started off tentatively but quickly picked up in the second round where Lubin showed his dominance. A straight left hand landed flush for Lubin and saw Smith crash down to the canvas. From there it became an onslaught as Lubin poured the pressure on. Another combination landed by Lubin saw Smith once again hit the canvas.

As often the case in the career of Smith he continued to pick himself up and fight valiantly. A third knockdown for Lubin seemed to spell the end for Smith but somehow he not only beat the count but continued to fight on as he barely escaped the round. Lubin came out in the third round wanting to put an end to the contest and he did just that as he once again knocked Smith down to the mat. Smith’s trainers stepped in and stopped the contest. After the end of the match the 40 year old Smith retired from the sport marking an end to his almost 20 year career.

Lubin started off his career dominating the competition and quickly won the ESPN prospect of the year award. He then took a major step up in class when he challenged then champion Jermell Charlo and was subsequently stopped in the first round. Tonight proved that he has put that devastating loss behind him.

Defeating Smith in such dominant fashion will place him back in the thick of things in the Jr Middleweight division.

Both Davis and Lubin sent stern messages to their respective divisions tonight with explosive performances. 2019 could become a big year for both of these young stars.

Posted on 02/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Gervonta Davis (20-0, 19 KOs) was supposed to be taking on the toughest test of his young career this Saturday night at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson California.

Davis was originally scheduled to defend his WBA Regular Super Featherweight title against three weight division champion Abner Mares (31-3-1, 15 KOs). Unfortunately the aforementioned Mares suffered a detached retina while training for the fight and was subsequently removed from the card. Mares would go on to have surgery to repair the damaged retina with the hopes of fighting again sometime soon.

Photo Credit: Dave Mandel/Showtime Boxing

The injury to Mares is unfortunate but the show must go on. Davis won’t be given any breaks as he will now be taking on the hard hitting Hugo Ruiz (39-4, 33 KOs) who has also captured two titles in his career. Ruiz won the interim WBA Bantamweight title in 2011 when he stopped Alvaro Perez. In 2016 Ruiz would once again capture another world championship, winning the WBC title in the Super Bantamweight division when he knocked out Julio Ceja in the very first round. Davis will come into this fight as the favorite and rightfully so but Ruiz has the capabilities to create one of the biggest upsets in the early boxing calendar.

Going into his matchup with Mares, Davis had several physical advantages working in his favor. However now that he will be matched up with Ruiz he will now be at a decided disadvantage. Come fight night Ruiz will enjoy both a four inch height and three inch reach advantage over the champion. Ruiz also has the luxury of being much more active than his counterpart. 2018 was a very inactive year for the champion as he only fought one time during the first half of the calendar year. He was last seen in the ring April of 2018 against Jesus Cuellar. Easily dispatching of him in only three rounds.

Ruiz on the other hand fought twice last year picking up a dominant decision win over Dennis Contreras. He then followed that up by stopping Jesus Galicia in the second round of their contest. Ruiz has already began his 2019 boxing campaign with a decision win over veteran Alberto Guevara just last month. Although this is a short notice fight for Ruiz he wasted little time accepting the challenge as he see’s this as a major opportunity for himself. Dethroning Davis will not be an easy task however.

There is a reason why Davis is known as “Tank”. In 20 professional fights he has stopped 19 of his opponents. The champion has a knack for finishing fights early and always has the edge in terms of power over his opponents. Ruiz doesn’t have quite the same amount of knockout power as Davis but he has a ton of pop in his punches as he has knocked out 33 of his 39 opponents. The 32 year old Ruiz will also have the edge in terms of boxing experience over his 24 year old counterpart.

This isn’t the matchup fans were hoping for but we all know the famous saying. Styles make fights. The tall, rangy and explosive Ruiz has the tools to make this a long night for the champion.

Before Davis attempts to defend his title, a former world champion in Ishe Smith (29-10, 12 KOs) and one title challenger in Erickson Lubin (19-1, 14 KOs) will be looking to regain their footing in the Jr middleweight division as they lock horns in the co main event slot.

If it feels as though Ishe Smith has been around forever it is because he has. He first made his debut in the year 2000. 19 years later he is still competing at a high level and itching for another title shot. Smith has faced a who’s who of contenders and champions throughout his long career including the likes of Daniel Jacobs, Erislandy Lara, Sergio Mora and plenty of others.

In 2013 Smith outpointed former IBF Jr Middleweight champion Cornelius Bundrage to secure his first and only world title. Win, lose or draw Smith has always been a tough out. However at 40 years of age and riding a two fight losing streak he can’t afford to lose his third consecutive bout. In order for Smith to put a halt to his current slide he will have to get through the one time title challenger Erickson Lubin who is looking to continue his own comeback trail.

Lubin had a dominant start to his career as he quickly became known for his ability to cause eye catching knockouts. His quickness, sharp boxing ability and of course his knockout power resulted in him receiving the ESPN prospect of the year award in 2016. He would later parlay that achievement into a title shot with then champion Jermell Charlo. The bout was viewed as a 50/50 contest with some giving Lubin the slight edge. What proceeded to happen was unexpected to say the least. Lubin was knocked out cold in the very first round.

Since that loss Lubin has only competed in other bout, stopping veteran fighter Silverio Ortiz in the fourth round. Lubin now has the opportunity to add a major scalp to his resume by defeating the former Jr Middleweight belt holder. A loss for either man would become detrimental to their career aspirations.

Both of these fights are significant to the landscape of their respective divisions. For Gervonta Davis he is looking to once again make a statement and claim another dominant victory while Hugo Ruiz is hoping to once again call himself a champion by nights end. Both Ishe Smith and Erickson Lubin are on the brink of irrelevancy with a loss. A win however for either man could propel them back into the thick of things in the Jr Middleweight division.

Everyone is fighting is for something important and will be hungry to get the victory. This Saturday night we will all see who wants it the most.