On Saturday, January 7, 2023, Gervonta “Tank” Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) took on the unbeaten WBA 130-pound champion Hector “El Androide” Garcia (16-1, 10 KOs).
Davis, the undefeated five-time world champion and licensed boxing famous person, was defending his WBA Light-weight title from the Capital One Enviornment in Washington, DC, which is just a brief drive from Davis’ native Baltimore, Maryland.
The leadup to the combat was stuffed with drama, particularly for Davis, who was arrested and booked on one account of Battery Inflicting Bodily Hurt earlier than being launched after his accuser (the mom of his youngster) retracted her accusations.
Davis nonetheless isn’t within the clear legally, as he’s set to seem in court docket for an alleged hit-and-run incident. Staying centered earlier than an enormous combat is one factor, however going through this stage of outside-the-ring distractions requires Jedi-level focus.
Davis’ capability to concentrate on the duty at hand and carry out on a excessive stage has all the time been certainly one of his biggest attributes. Saturday evening was no completely different. In entrance of 19,731 partisan followers, Davis methodically broke down the beforehand unbeaten Garcia, earlier than hurting him badly with a left hand late within the eighth spherical that Garcia later mentioned left him dazed and confused.
“Once I obtained the shot to my head within the closing spherical, that’s after I couldn’t see from my eye,” mentioned Garcia, who even with the loss nonetheless owns the WBA Tremendous Featherweight world title. “I didn’t know the place I used to be when he hit me with that shot. My imaginative and prescient is again however my head nonetheless hurts. I couldn’t see from my proper eye. It was going properly up till that time. I used to be selecting my photographs.”
Though Garcia felt he was doing properly on the time of stoppage, all three judges had Davis comfortably forward with scores of 79-73, 79-73 and 78-74.
Garcia stayed on his stool because the bell for Spherical 9 rang, and some moments later, his coach Bob Santos suggested referee Albert Earl Brown to cease the combat, with the official stoppage coming 13 seconds into the ninth stanza.
“I used to be somewhat stunned he didn’t come out,” mentioned Davis after the combat. “However I knew he was damage unhealthy however he’s a fighter and he didn’t need to present it. I knew he was damage although.”
Davis was affected person by way of the primary three rounds, gathering information and getting snug on the correct distance. By Spherical 4, Davis started flashing highly effective combos, which Garcia had problem maintaining with. After touchdown solely 4 energy punches within the first three rounds, Davis related on 69 in rounds 4 by way of eight.
The victory was Davis’ fifth profitable protection of his WBA Light-weight title and now units him up for a conflict in opposition to the favored Ryan Garcia.
When requested about Garcia confirming an April 15 date for his or her combat, Davis smiled and laughed. “Properly, he already confirmed it,” mentioned Davis.
However Tank is clearly completed speaking a few combat that’s been overestimated for fairly a while. As a substitute, the Baltimore-native champion is prepared for motion.
“It ought to be no extra speaking. It ought to be working,” mentioned Davis. Agreed.
Replace: Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia is now confirmed for April 22 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Click on right here to learn extra on that highly-anticipated matchup.
