Barry McGuigan believes one standout talent he won’t be beaten anytime soon.
Because boxing has so many different governing bodies and promoter politics, it can often be difficult for fans to conclusively witness who is the best in any weight class. Although unifications are starting to happen more often, undisputed fights are still few and far between.
However, the hard-punching Gervonta Davis is one man who has been on a superb run of form and keeps on knocking out whoever is put in front of him.
This has included the likes of Leo Santa Cruz, Ryan Garcia and most recently Frank Martin, all of which have convinced McGuigan that Baltimore’s WBA lightweight champion ‘Tank’ ‘has the beating of everybody.’
Writing in The Mirror, McGuigan outlines why he is such a fan.
“Davis is a southpaw. He comes at you, hunts you down. He is exactly the kind of boxer I tried to be. I was not the most skilful, but I was always on the front foot and people loved it.
Davis actually wants to make fights. He wants to be involved in the big nights. He is a throwback in that regard, and he believes he has the beating of everybody. I agree.
His explosiveness, brilliantly exemplified with his celebratory back flips, is some attribute to have. He can fire off shots in quick bursts and when he lands with either hand, the end is nigh.”
McGuigan also states that Davis’s promoter should be trying to line up fight with Vasiliy Lomachenko, who recently beat George Kambosos to become the IBF champion, even despite being past his best.
“That would have been some battle in Loma’s peak years. Loma had almost 400 amateur fights before turning over. Had he crossed to the paid ranks even five years earlier he might have gone down as one of the greatest fighters the world has ever seen.
Lomachenko would be the fight. He is still a great fighter. But if he stands with Tank I think he gets chinned too. And that’s some achievement.”
He also spoke of another unification fight with Shakur Stevenson, having a dig at the WBC champion’s style but admitting he is likely ‘Tank’s toughest test.
“His contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank has one fight to run. I doubt anyone will be rushing in to sign him because the excitement in the ring does not match his talent.
Stevenson has a chance against Davis because of his natural speed. That’s a problem for Davis. I don’t like the way Stevenson fights but he is very effective, especially when he is wary of his opponent.”
