“I haven’t been in the ring in like 14 months,” said Gervonta Davis ahead of Saturday’s WBA lightweight title defense against Frank Martin. “Me being out of the ring for so long, I don’t know how I’ll feel going into the ring again.
“You know how good you are, but it’s still what can he bring to the table? He might bring something crazy to the table, or you might be off. It’s a love-hate for the sport. But it’s cool.
“I don’t really let a lot of stuff bother me. I know that I can adapt to the situation I’m in. I’ve had to overcome a lot of stuff.”
Davis last boxed in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena, stopping Ryan Garcia with a bodyshot. But his progress was curtailed with 44 days in a correctional facility for violating terms of a house arrest after a hit and run incident.
“I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be in there,” Davis told the PBC’s build-up show, Gloves Off. “It was a learning experience. It showed me that’s not where I want to be. I got kids, I got to take care of, my family, friends and everything I’ve got to take care of.”
At 29-0 (27 KOs), Tank calls himself the face of boxing, but understands there is more work to be done. He admitted his nerves ahead of the Garcia fight, but said Garcia rushed his work and was too impatient. He said his overwhelming emotion after victory was relief.
Davis wants to prove he is the best at 135lbs and believes Saturday against Martin will be “a clinic” but he rates Martin highly, saying the Detroit challenger, a fellow southpaw, is fast, strong, hungry and in his prime.
“He’s not like a walking duck,” Davis said. “He’s coming to win. He’s going to be champion one day, just not June 15.”
Davis has already achieved a lot, but says his motivation is not to provide for him alone.
“I’m fighting for my future, my kids’ future, my people’s future that’s coming behind me,” he said. “It’s me, but it’s not just me.
“I’m already a legend from where I’ve come from for what I’ve done. I’ve done been through mad stuff, sleeping on floors, crack houses, all that stuff. I’ve been through all that. I ain’t got to prove nothing for nobody else. That’s why I’ll never get too hype about the win after I win, because you always got to do something over and over again ‘til you’re done. And there’s always going to be somebody next, somebody next.”
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