LAS VEGAS – Gervonta “Tank” Davis makes his long-awaited return to the ring when he faces Frank Martin at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after 14 months out of the ring.
The week has been a typical Davis roller coaster. The Baltimore star did not even show at the Grand Arrivals to kick-off fight week on Tuesday, but on Wednesday went over and above with the media and even visited the public workouts to address fans in an ‘off-diary’ appearance.
That came after the press conference, during which Martin and Davis talked a lot of smack both to and at one another, and at Friday’s weigh-in, Davis carried that on, marching over to a seated Martin to start a whole new verbal assault.
Then, moments after weighing-in Davis performed a back-flip and the thousands of fans who had queued to watch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena left happy.
The 29-year-old Davis is 29-0 (27 KOs), while Martin – a fellow southpaw – is 18-0 (12 KOs).
Davis has had out of the ring issues that have contributed to his inactivity, and as a result has not boxed since his seventh-round stoppage of Ryan Garcia in one of 2023’s blockbuster events, last April. Detroit-born Martin has fought just once in 18 months, and that was last July when he outscored Artem Harutyunyan over 12 rounds.
It is an intriguing fight, although Davis starts a clear favorite. He is one of the best fighters in the world today and embraces the big occasion. Challenger Martin is slick and quick, but prepared to get his hands dirty to put to bed a feud that has simmered since an ill-tempered sparring session years ago.
That reportedly got messy, with holding and grappling (and a headlock) depending on who you believe, and after exciting main events with Sebastian Fundora-Tim Tszyu and Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia, PBC and Prime Video will be hoping for more of the same.
Is Davis’ greater experience, in the ring and on the big stage, going to be important? Or will Martin’s style present Davis with problems he cannot solve?
Martin can sometimes leap in and pull back with his hands low. Should that habit be unbreakable he will have to make sure his movement patterns are not predictable, nor move to his right too frequently or he could get clipped by that “Tank” left. Moving to the left, however, could lead to him being headed-off by the right hook.
Martin’s footspeed has been rapid enough to move him back out of harm’s way more often than not, but with Davis playing chess, cutting off the ring and trying to manoeuvre him one way or the other, what happens if Davis can seal off the exit routes?
There will likely be times when Martin has to exchange. He says he’s more than ready for that, and in fact even said he hopes Davis gets reckless and flies at him.
Davis has lost plenty of rounds as a pro, but each one has seemingly been reconnaissance, learning lessons, reading patterns, breaking his opponent down before nearly always taking them out.
There were times when Mario Barrios was having success against Davis, next thing he knew, he was on the floor. Even when you’re winning against “Tank”, sometimes you’re not actually winning. And while Hector Garcia had some success to Davis’ body with his right hook as a southpaw, ultimately it counted for nothing. Isaac Cruz did well with Davis, but Martin could not be any more different from “Pitbull.”
There is a possibility that Martin’s style brings out something from Davis that we have not seen before, whether that’s a hidden ability, an untapped pool of courage or a change in mindset.
Davis was fired up this week only when the pair were asked about that now infamous spar. After Martin said he “clipped” Davis, the Baltimore star quickly bit back and more rowing ensued.
The rivalry has been professional and a little salty without feeling like a full-blown grudge. Simply, they have history and they both want to settle it.
There is an implication from “Tank’s” team that there is more to see from him as a fighter, with coach Calvin Ford wanting to see his charge’s reaction to having, “Buttons pushed that haven’t been pushed yet.”
Whether that means psychologically or stylistically, we might find out.
“I want Frank to come with it, because I need him to push that button,” said Ford. “I haven’t seen it yet. I know what’s under that hood, but there’s a button yet to be pushed. I’m asking Frank to please push that button. It’s nothing personal, but Frank is in the way.”
Of the “button”, Martin retorted: “Calvin’s telling me to push those buttons, well I’m coming to push every button he’s got. Come out and expect a good fight. Let’s get it.”
And a good fight is what many anticipate. While the jump in class and occasion for Martin is a concern – not one that he accepts – there is no one on Davis’ resume who boxes like Martin.
That does not mean a great deal, but if fighters who are slower and not as slick as Martin have had success, there is scope for Martin to have some joy, particularly early on if Davis is merely scouting him.
Martin does not think Davis will grace him with his typical slow start or afford him the early rounds on the scoreboards.
It could be an incredibly cagey opening, feints, entanglements, jostling and not least some mind games. Martin will likely go out of his way to make sure he does not appear overawed, which could result in him trading unnecessarily. Martin’s best chance of victory will likely be if Davis concedes early rounds and Martin can stay out of trouble the rest of the way.
But that’s a tall order. Davis can make that ring shrink awfully quickly so that it starts to feel like the walls of the arena are starting to close. He puts his front foot inside the line, closes the distance and while he might get a little wild and reckless, he packs so much power that almost anyone in there with him is more concerned with staying out of the way of his shots than landing immaculate counters.
“I’m gonna break you up. I’m gonna split all that up under your eyes. Every time I tell people something is gonna happen, what happens?” asked the champion.
“Don’t get your popcorn, or your juice, stay locked in. Because I’ve been locked in for a long time now and my give back is gonna be a great performance on Saturday night.
Martin was gracious in thanking Davis for the opportunity. But he has not been shy of his own fighting words.
“This can go down however he wants it to go down,” Martin replied. “If he acts up, like I’ve been saying, you’re gonna see Gervonta Davis get knocked out. If he acts up, he’s getting knocked out, period. If he acts crazy, he’s going to sleep.
“He comes out to hurt everyone he fights. We’ve heard that before. We’re not worried about none of that. We’re ready for whatever he’s about to bring. We got his number.”
There is no question that Martin is coming for what Davis has. He might be able to accelerate into a lead by the half-way point, but expect Davis to start reeling him in around the seventh or eighth, before securing victory on the cards and possibly scoring a knockdown or two along the way.
David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk
In Benavidez’s first fight after moving up to light heavyweight, Benavidez is promising fireworks. Ever the professional, former champion Gvozdyk said he will be on hand to “resist” the American.
But Benavidez is a dangerous man. He’s incredibly heavy-handed, has great punching ability and accuracy with combinations that are designed to both hurt and overwhelm opponents. Gvozdyk was at his best before a hard, physical and draining 2019 loss to Artur Beterbiev in Philadelphia.
The Ukrainian spent time in hospital after that and he did not box again for three years.
Make no mistake, Gvozdyk, 20-1 (16 KOs), at his best is a real problem for anyone at 175lbs, as he proved to be against Beterbiev. But one cannot be sure that after such a long layoff and then having returned with three wins against opponents with 44 combined losses, in six, eight and 10 round fights, the jump to Benavidez is likely too great, and those fights – and the prior inactivity – might not have him in the shape required for Benavidez.
The Gvozdyk of old, if he can be that at 37 (Benavidez, 28-0, 24 KOs, is a decade younger), might present Benavidez with problems. But a sharp, in-form Benavidez hungry to impress and follow up big 2023 wins over Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade can sparkle by claiming a victory in the middle rounds.
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