Gervonta Davis is in a state of flux. The American boxer has punched his way to victory every time but has failed to settle on his next fight deal. While the rumors and verbal beef suggested Devin Haney was the next target, he finds himself on the sidelines now. Ryan Garcia has inserted himself into what is believed to be a PPV blockbuster for 2024. If ‘Tank’ doesn’t act swiftly, he might lose more ground.
Davis, 29, is nearing his prime, but he has primarily remained inactive for long stretches. Meanwhile, his rival, Devin Haney, puts on a show twice a year, and after comfortably dismantling Regis Prograis, he is already zeroing out on the next fight. ‘The Dream’ failed to pull PPV numbers and wants a massive fight next. The realization has dawned on his team, and they want a bigger draw. While Davis is a feasible option, he is slowly fading out of the negotiation table.
Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney: Gervonta Davis getting left behind
Devin Haney opened talks with Ryan Garcia after the latter expressed eagerness to test his skills against the newly crowned WBC super lightweight champion. He waited a long time to hear from Davis’ team, but never received a favorable call from them. While there is nothing concrete, Davis surely finds himself out of the frame.
Davis and Haney were on a collision course, as Davis held the undisputed title at 135, and Haney possessed the WBA super-champion tag. However, Haney, at 31-0, then relinquished his titles and moved up to 140. Despite that, a clash was on the cards until Ryan Garcia, at 24-1, forced himself into the conversation.
It all boils down to whether Davis wants the fight against Haney. Whether he wants to fight at 140, where he has fought once, or at a catchweight, and on what terms exactly is a call Davis has to make. As the talks between the camps of Haney and Garcia are already underway, Davis needs a quick call. If the Baltimore native fails to do so in time, he might never land a fight with Haney.
Devin Haney: The brief stay at 140
A potential big-money fight is the only thing holding Haney down at 140. He doesn’t want to juice it down to 135. A title fight at 147 was always in his plans until Garcia came up with a lucrative offer.
Haney, 25, after leaving Garcia in the dust at 140, would vacate his WBC title and then move up to 147. He ballooned up to 165 pounds before fighting Prograis, and therefore, making weight at 147 would be easier. Not every time can he risk losing 25 pounds of water as he steps into the square circle.
If either Garcia or Davis fails to ink a deal with Haney, it’s hard to imagine Haney putting his body through a weight-cut ordeal. That would mark the end of Davis vs. Haney PPV if it were ever to materialize. Davis is running out of time to sign a deal with Haney, a worthy opponent to add to his resume.
Gervonta Davis is running short of apt opponents amid Ryan Garcia’s PPV pull
Devin Haney boasts a stacked resume and is the epitome of a modern technical fighter. He has already chalked out his plan. Meanwhile, Gervonta Davis has yet to decide when he will return and against whom. While a shot at vacant IBF and WBO lightweight titles is an alluring deal, he has preferred money over gold straps. Vasiliy Lomachenko is the only name that pops up at 135, which is not a crowd-puller fight.
On the other hand, Ryan Garcia is a proven PPV star. His 11 million social media fans and his record 1.1 million PPV sales against Davis only add to his case. In addition, if Davis had wanted the fight against Haney, that fight would have taken place by now. But if he has second thoughts about a fight with Haney, he might need to make moves hurriedly.
If Haney edges past Garcia, he might hold a better bargaining position than his current one. Davis can exert pressure for a favorable rehydration clause and a PPV cut right now. But that won’t be the case after Haney defeats Garcia. The time is high for Davis to make a call and play it smart.
