On Saturday night, Gervonta “Tank” Davis delivered a message with a devastating left hook, but it wasn’t simply a message for Ryan Garcia. No, it was a message directed toward the entire sport of boxing.
One that said that Tank is the superstar and face you don’t want but you’ll have to deal with because he’s here.
Yet for those of us who have watched Tank, we already knew this.
We knew it back in 2017 when he finished off Jose Pedraza in the 7th round and claimed the IBF World Super Feather Title at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
A year later, Tank was back in Brooklyn and his stardom was on display for all to experience before he even entered the ring. I was there to witness the screams and cheers for the young fighter as he walked up the steps and onto the ring apron. Baltimore was heavy in the building that night, but those screams weren’t emitted solely by fans from Charm City. No, they were from almost all in attendance.
At that moment, I knew Tank was a star and the future face of the sport.
And this was before he completely obliterated Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar to win the WBA Super Featherweight title. A fight where Tank, unfortunately for poor Cuellar, unleashed the frustration of having his IBF title belt stripped eight months prior after failing to make weight in his fight against Francisco Fonseca.
If that wasn’t proof enough, sending Leo Santa Cruz into hibernation with a vicious uppercut should have convinced anyone still skeptical of Tank’s standing.
Yet the doubt remained.
Even after knocking out three of his next four opponents (he won a Unanimous Decision over Isaac Cruz in December 2021), including another Brooklyn victory over Rolando Romero, the doubt lingered.
Saturday night’s decisive destruction of Ryan Garcia should have eliminated all doubt.
Unfortunately, Tank’s 7th round KO of Garcia did nothing to deter the refusal of some to anoint Davis as the face of the sport.
That’s absolutely ridiculous.
Tank (29-0, 27 KOs), under the intermittent tutelage of Floyd Mayweather, has carved a swath through a field of opponents, littering it with fallen bodies.
And he’s done it by learning to box.
Not through bullying, shoving opponents, using his elbows or leading with his head. He’s done it by fighting opponents through which he could learn how boxing works. And, despite ludicrous claims that he “hasn’t fought anyone” (check his record), he hasn’t shied away from contact or opponents.
Tank isn’t a high-volume puncher, nor will he control the distance by using a consistent jab. Instead, Davis has learned the art of patience, recognition and counter-punching to become a superstar.
“’Tank has unbelievable boxing skills and the will to win,” said Mayweather after Davis’ KO of Santa Cruz.
He throws punches like warning shots across the bow, reminding opponents to be ready because the next time he will sink their hopes. Then, like a hunter stalking his prey, he waits patiently for the opening to arrive.
And when it does, it’s lights out. Ryan Garcia found that out the hard way on Saturday night.
“The first knockdown was just him not knowing his placement,” said Davis. “I knew that I was the smaller guy, and my coach was telling me in camp that he’s going to come up with his head up, so just shoot over the top.”
Similar things happened with Pedraza, Liam Walsh, Francisco Fonseca, Cuellar, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Santa Cruz and Garcia. They all overthrew a punch or dropped their guard and felt the devastating power that ended their night.
So why are some denying Tank his rightful place on boxing’s throne?
Is it because he has a rugged appearance and tattoos emblazoned across almost every part of his body? It is because of his hair and tough Baltimore exterior?
The answer is most likely yes.
Tank doesn’t have the model-like looks of Ryan Garcia or the pedigree of Leo Santa Cruz.
But like Mike Tyson, another fighter with similar characteristics, Gervonta Davis has a certain charm that endears him to so many from different walks of life. If you watch his post-fight interviews, oftentimes he flashes a disarming smile that draws fans in.
At one time, Mike Tyson was the biggest draw in the sport. He was both the PPV king and the face of boxing. Those roles then went to Floyd Mayweather, who took both to new heights.
While the PPV game has changed dramatically, Davis vs. Garcia blew away expectations in both PPV buys and at the gate, the latter where Tank has always done well. According to Sports Business Journal, the gate raked in $22.8 million and the fight amassed more than 1.2 million PPV units.
To me, that means Gervonta “Tank” Davis is the new face of boxing.
