Gervonta Davis is a proven box office star and one of boxing’s most explosive punchers.
The 29-year-old from Baltimore has 30 wins with just two going the distance, stalking his opponents and often dropping rounds to add to the tension before scoring the knockout, often with just one shot.
Currently WBA Lightweight World Champion and a guaranteed big payday, there’s a long list of fighters who say they want the match-up, not least two-division titlist Teofimo Lopez who recently stated he was ready for it at the tail-end of this year.
However, speaking to FightHype, Lopez said that ‘Tank’ doesn’t believe in himself enough to face top competition.
“The main hole that they have, they don’t believe in themselves … How many times did they say that Tank Davis was not ready for Loma, that they had to prep him? How many times did Mayweather have to speak for Gervonta Tank Davis? I’m just speaking facts.”
The WBO Super-Lightweight Champion was also asked about a sparring session from eleven years ago. He said that he can’t take much from it other than ‘Tank’ fought dirty.
“We did three rounds, I was 15, he was 18, he was already a pro. It’s different now, so much different. But, I gotta say, I don’t [take] no s**t. He was trying to make a couple excuses but if he’s hitting me on the back of the head, I’m hitting him on the back of the head. That’s how it goes. If you’re gonna fight dirty, I’mma fight dirty with you.”
Despite backing himself considerably, Lopez doesn’t dismiss ‘Tank’s skillset. In fact, in a previous interview with Fight Sports he said he was the only man who could beat him.
“Tank ain’t a pushover … I guess the only one that can really beat Tank is me. I guess I gotta do it. Nobody [else] can do the job.”
Lopez doesn’t yet have a return date and has hinted in the past at another move up in weight. As for Davis, he is slated for a December fight in Washington, potentially against super-featherweight champion Lamont Roach.
