Blockbuster Boxing Showdown: Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. David Benavidez
On June 15, boxing fans are in for a treat as two of the most captivating fighters in the sport, Gervonta “Tank” Davis and David Benavidez, collide in a pay-per-view event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. This highly anticipated matchup marks the 100th championship boxing event held at the iconic venue.
Baltimore’s WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) faces a stern test in the form of Detroit’s undefeated Frank Martin (18-0, 12 KOs), who has spent the past few months training in Texas under the guidance of respected coach Derrick James. Meanwhile, the “Mexican Monster” David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) moves up to light-heavyweight to take on former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk, a response to being repeatedly overlooked by Canelo Alvarez despite his long-standing position as the WBC’s number one contender at super-middleweight.
As former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi noted, “The knockouts, the flare, the swagger, his popularity in his culture makes his star rise.” Benavidez’s destructive fighting style has garnered him a legion of fans, and the question of whether Canelo is avoiding him has only added to the intrigue surrounding the young Phoenix fighter.
“Canelo Alvarez simply doesn’t want it and it’s the only fight people want to see at 168 (pounds).” – Shawn Porter, another former welterweight champion
Benavidez’s move up to 175 pounds may open the door to potential bouts against light-heavyweight champions Dmitrii Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, with the latter’s injury potentially sidelining him until 2025.
Meanwhile, Davis returns to the ring for the first time since his pay-per-view clash with Ryan Garcia in April 2023, which generated 1.2 million buys. Known for his patient and methodical approach in the ring, Davis has demonstrated his ability to rally and deliver knockout blows against opponents like Rolando Romero, Leo Santa Cruz, and others.
Against the sharp and southpaw Martin, the experts expect Davis to fight with a greater sense of urgency, as Martin is widely considered the toughest and most skilled lightweight Davis has faced. However, Davis’ “generational power” is expected to be a significant factor in the outcome.
As for the future, both Davis and Benavidez have a wealth of talented opponents to consider, from champions like Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Devin Haney. A potential showdown between Davis and Japan’s four-division undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue has been discussed, but the experts believe the size and weight difference may be too much of a stretch.
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