Tim Bradley lit into WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis over his choice for his next title defense, choosing super featherweight Lamont Roach to defend against on December 14th in Houston, Texas.
Bradley says he doesn’t know what Gervonta’s management is trying to cover up by matching him against such weak opponents, but he thinks he’s a “Total fraud,” being matched against soft guys to make him look better than he actually is.
Instead of fighting Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), commentator Bradley says Tank Davis should face #3 WBA contender Edwin De Los Santos, who gave Shakur Stevenson all kinds of problems last November in their battle for the vacant WBC lightweight title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Bradley states that De Los Santos is in the same stable as Tank Davis, and it would have been an easy fight to make. The fact that Tank’s management didn’t make the fight with De Los Santos makes Bradley wonder why.
“Lamont Roach was the front runner then [two weeks ago], and now he’s moving up from 130 lbs. This is another fighter that Tank is pulling up from 130. He did this already with Hector Luis Garcia [and Leo Santa Cruz]. Now, he’s doing it with Lamont Roach,” said Mike Coppinger on X, talking about Gervonta Davis hand-picking super featherweight Lamont Roach Jr. to defend his WBA lightweight title against on December 14th.
Coppinger and Bradley may not have been keeping up with Tank Davis’ career because if they had, they’d have already noted that his management has carefully chosen his opposition since he first turned pro in 2013.
Tank Davis’ career has been manufactured like a product to make him look good and keep him from getting broken by one of the talented fighters in the 130, 135, and 140-lb weight divisions. He’d have already lost many times if his management had matched him against the sharks in those divisions. We’ve seen who Tank has fought, and he’s never taken any dangerous fights. He’s now hitting 30-year-old, and he’ll be washed up pretty soon. No matter who his management puts him against, he’ll lose.
“This is a very underwhelming fight. It’s hard to get excited about this one. We know what’s going to happen. It’s going to be another Tank Davis KO victim, just like Frank Martin in June. Tank was willing to fight someone tougher here [Vasily Lomachenko]. I don’t want to criticize him too much, but this is not a good consolation prize,” said Coppinger.
“Man, this is matchmaking. Listen, Matchmaking can cover up any fighter’s imperfections,” said commentator Tim Bradley, talking about Gervonta Davis’ choice of Roach. “I’m just going to let you guys know that. It’s just like the makeup you guys are wearing right now. Both of you guys look pretty, but in reality, you and Bernado [Osuna] are as ugly as hell. I’m going to keep it 100 with y’all.
“Look, this is the Tank protection program. This has been going on for a long time, people. They’ve been bringing guys up from the lower weight classes to get in with Tank, and Tank looks spectacular. It’s a coverup. I’m going to tell you right now. I think Tank is a good fighter. I don’t know how great he is, but from the looks of it and the matches he’s been having, the dude looks like a total fraud.
“Put him in the ring with someone that can punch back, someone with a great IQ just as well as he is. They’re saying they don’t have an opponent for him. Yes, you do. You do have an opponent in your stable. His name is [Edwin] De Los Santos. We wouldn’t mind and the fans wouldn’t mind paying for a De Los Santos fight, but they’re [Tank’s management] are covering something, and I don’t know what it is.
“Is it the power of De Los Santos that they’re worried about? The fact that he’s a southpaw because Tank was doing a whole a lot of talking when Shakur Stevenson put everybody to sleep with De Los Santos, but he won’t step his behind in the ring and face De Los Santos. That’s the fight that everyone wants to see.
“No one is going to pay for this PPV. I’m going to let y’all know that right now. People are going to show up because it’s Tank Davis, but those PPV numbers that you’re chasing. It’s just going to be a wishing well, man. Just like a lot of the PPVs that we see nowadays, a wishing well. We wish they’d do great numbers. If you put on great fights, there will be great numbers, period,” said Bradley.
There are going to be fans that will purchase the Tank vs. Roach card on PPV because the undercard will have the Stephen Fulton vs. Brandon Figueroa remtch. That fight alone will generate interest, and Jermall Ccharlo will be fighting on the undercard. Older sentimental fans who remember when he was an active fighter many years ago will want to watch him against the no-name he’s being matched against.
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