Trainer Robert Garcia believes Frank Martin is the best fighter Gervonta Davis will have faced during his 11-year professional career when he defends his WBA ‘regular’ lightweight title against him on June 15th.
Robert likes this fight for Tank Davis (29-0, 27 KOs), as he feels that Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) is going to give him a good test in their fight on PBC on Prime Video at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Garcia Acknowledges Davis’s Strategic Matchmaking
“I think Martin is going to put up a great fight. He’s a great fighter. Probably to date, and I’m thinking about the other opponents Tank has had, this is probably the toughest,” said trainer Robert Garcia to Fighthype about Frank Martin being the toughest opponent Gervonta Davis has faced during his 11-year professional career when they fight on June 15th on PBC on Prime Video PPV.
Tank Davis’s management has done strategic match-making on his behalf, which is one reason he’s not more popular. He needed Ryan Garcia to help him have the first successful PPV event of his career, which is a shame.
While Tank’s management and his former promoters may pat themselves on the back for the level of popularity that he enjoys, they’ve limited him by keeping him stultified, stuck at a certain level, and unable to rise to where Canelo Alvarez is now.
“He has picked the right opponents,” said Robert about Tank Davis having been selectively matched during his career. “The lightweight division is stacked. There’s Shakur, Loma, just to mention those two that are right in my head right now. He’s never gone after those guys.”
It was hoped that Tank Davis would turn over a new leaf after his fight with Ryan last year and choose to face the best at 135, like Vasily Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson. He’s not done that, and it’s clear that old ways die hard. I doubt he will ever change with the careful selection of his opposition.
Experience and Big Fight Atmosphere
“They’ve done a great job with him. This is probably going to be the most talented. The most difficult one that he’s faced. I think the experience that Tank has of being on the big stage, headlining so many big fights, and the crowd is all going to be in his favor,” said Robert when asked what sets Tank Davis and Frank Martin apart in this fight.
Martin is better than anyone that Tank has fought, and that’s not saying much because he’s been fighting limited guys like Ryan, Hector Garcia, Rolando Romero, Leo Santa Cruz, and Isaac Cruz.
“I think that’s going to make a big difference. Frank Martin’s first time ever in a big fight like that,” said Robert. “That might play a big role. He has an experienced trainer that has been there before That should help. I think it’s going to be a very competitive fight.”
You can’t rule out an upset in this fight because Tank hasn’t fought in over a year and is facing his first good opponent. Martin could wear down and stop Tank, exposing him for what he is.
Davis’ Business Acumen
“Gervonta does really good numbers, but I think he still needs to get those big names in front of him. I haven’t heard him try to make a fight with Loma, Shakur, or any of them or any of the top guys at, even at 140,” said Robert.
Tank Davis should start fighting the bigger names, but it’s up to his management. With PBC now with Amazon, it would be in their best interest to start matching Tank against good fighters because its not going to help them if his events fail to bring in big numbers.
Before Tank fought Ryan Garcia, his PPV events had brought in modest numbers. None of his events had ever been huge successes.
“He [Tank Davis] has fought at 140 before. When he fought at 140, he matched himself against the right opponent [Mario Barrios]. 140 is stacked with talent, too. He’s a businessman, and he’s doing what’s right for him. He doesn’t care. He’s still making a lot of money, and selling a lot of PPV numbers, and doing really good at the gate. So for him and his team behind him, I would do the same,” said Garcia about Tank.
Davis should have stepped it up, but he’s been good money fighting the safe opposition, and there was no need to face the best. But still, he would have made a lot more money by now if he’d been fighting the top fighters at 135 and 140 for the last seven years instead of the middle-of-the-road opposition that he’s been feasting on.
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