Gervonta Davis Archives - Page 2 of 44

Just as in reel-life, perhaps, in real-life too, the reality was hidden till ‘The Matrix’ lasted. In the battle of the southpaws, as things stand, Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson remain the last men standing. Over a year after he returned to the ring, the Baltimorean didn’t take much time to prove why he is one of the ‘faces of boxing’. In a trademark style, he dispatched Frank Martin at the MGM Grand last month. A lightweight champion since 2019, it was time to aim for a bigger target. A title unification? But that meant crossing paths with fellow champions Vasyl Lomachenko, Shakur Stevenson, and Denis Berinchyk.

As days moved, talks of a fight with the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist gained strength. But sadly, the hype didn’t last long. The latter, as reports suggest, decided to sit back and reportedly spend time with the family. For sure, it left the boxing world and the fans bewildered. But time did not permit the indulgence of outrage for long. Enter the Newark-born Southpaw. It appears the green light has been met with a reciprocal move. Time to move on for a fight everyone longed for.

A Bout for the Ages: Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson

Boxing Kingdom shared a message that both the Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson teams have been showing positive vibes for a potential fight in the future. “The two have sparred hundreds of rounds over recent years, including one 20-minute round in a Baltimore Gym, in 2017,” it read further.

Fans might as well go back to Frank Martin post-fight presser. Remember what Gervonta Davis said when asked about a fight against Shakur Stevenson? It looks like a thing of the past now. Speaking at ‘Mill City Boxing,’ even his longtime trainer Kenny Ellis sounded quite hopeful that a match against the Rio Olympics silver medalist seems the next logical step following the ‘Loma’ fallout.

BOXING

Hall Of Famer Says There Is ‘No Doubt’ Lomachenko Ducked Gervonta Davis: “He’s Done It Before”

Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko were all set to ramp up negotiations for a lightweight unification fight before the latter pulled out due to a lack of motivation.

The elite Ukrainian recently won the vacant IBF World Title by being the first man to stop George Kambosos Jr, a win that lined up well with ‘Tank’ Davis successfully defending his new WBA belt against Frank Martin by knockout.

The door was open then for a clash between the champions – something Lomachenko wanted years prior – and Bob Arum’s Top Rank said initial talks were positive. Things changed when Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, said his fighter wouldn’t be out again this year as he wasn’t motivated.

Speaking to Sean Zittel, Hall of Fame fighter turned analyst Time Bradley was full of praise for the Ukrainian but couldn’t call the move anything other than a ‘duck.’

Bradley went on to say that the three-weight world champion, at 36-years-old, may call it a day – although word from his camp suggests otherwise.

Gervonta Davis may now target a unification with WBC Champion Shakur Stevenson.

BOXING

Vasyl Lomachenko Pull-Out Leads to Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson Inching Closer

Just as in reel-life, perhaps, in real-life too, the reality was hidden till ‘The Matrix’ lasted. In the battle of the southpaws, as things stand, Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson remain the last men standing. Over a year after he returned to the ring, the Baltimorean didn’t take much time to prove why he is one of the ‘faces of boxing’. In a trademark style, he dispatched Frank Martin at the MGM Grand last month. A lightweight champion since 2019, it was time to aim for a bigger target. A title unification? But that meant crossing paths with fellow champions Vasyl Lomachenko, Shakur Stevenson, and Denis Berinchyk.

As days moved, talks of a fight with the Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist gained strength. But sadly, the hype didn’t last long. The latter, as reports suggest, decided to sit back and reportedly spend time with the family. For sure, it left the boxing world and the fans bewildered. But time did not permit the indulgence of outrage for long. Enter the Newark-born Southpaw. It appears the green light has been met with a reciprocal move. Time to move on for a fight everyone longed for.

A Bout for the Ages: Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson

Boxing Kingdom shared a message that both the Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson teams have been showing positive vibes for a potential fight in the future. “The two have sparred hundreds of rounds over recent years, including one 20-minute round in a Baltimore Gym, in 2017,” it read further.

Fans might as well go back to Frank Martin post-fight presser. Remember what Gervonta Davis said when asked about a fight against Shakur Stevenson? It looks like a thing of the past now. Speaking at ‘Mill City Boxing,’ even his longtime trainer Kenny Ellis sounded quite hopeful that a match against the Rio Olympics silver medalist seems the next logical step following the ‘Loma’ fallout.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis targeting alternative fight after Vasyl Lomachenko collapse

Gervonta Davis is moving on from Vasyl Lomachenko.

The pair were deep in negotiations to square off this year in a WBA and IBF lightweight world title unification clash.

It is understood that talks between Bob Arum’s Top Rank (who promote Lomachenko) and Al Haymon’s PBC (who represent Davis) were progressing well for a November fight date.

However, the Ukrainian slickster has opted to take some time out of boxing and won’t return to the ring until 2025.

Davis’ team was understandably taken aback by Lomachenko’s response, who has always sought the biggest fights possible during his 21-fight (18-3) pro career.

But instead of sitting around and waiting for Loma, Davis’ co-trainer Kenny Ellis has indicated that they may target a fight with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson next.

Speaking to Mill City Boxing, he said: “He [Loma] is straight ducking… Hopefully, Shakur won’t duck.

“They keep saying that Tank is ducking Shakur, let’s see. Him and Lomachenko are the only ones left.”

Asked what Davis would do if a fight with Stevenson or Lomachenko can’t be made by next year, Ellis added: “It’s up to Tank and what he wants to do but he might retire.

“If he does I support that, whatever he does I’ll support it. If he said let’s get the next one, I’ll support it.”

This comes after Lomachenko’s manager told boxing reporter Steve Kim: “Loma is not in the mood right now.

“He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking off, he wants to spend more time with the family.

“He doesn’t want to do anything until the end of the year. So he’s definitely not coming to the ring until the end of the year…

“With Loma, just money is not what motivates him. He doesn’t take anything just because of money.

“You can offer him millions, tens of millions of dollars – if he doesn’t have motivation, he’s not ready to prepare for the fight.”

Besides Stevenson, William Zepeda and a rematch with Isaac Cruz are also said to be potential options for Davis.

However, Zepeda – who is currently ranked No.1 by all four major sanctioning bodies at 135lbs – is expected to go down the WBO route and challenge their champion Denis Berinchyk next.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Team Set Sights On One Man After Lomachenko Collapse: “Let’s See If He Ducks Too”

Gervonta Davis looked set to unify the lightweight world titles against Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Following an impressive knockout win over Frank Martin to retain his WBA belt, ‘Tank’ made it clear he would take on the Ukrainian, who recently won the vacant IBF title by beating George Kambosos Jr.

Things were looking positive until Lomachenko’s manager claimed his fighter wasn’t yet motivated to return to the ring, and reports later confirmed talks were off.

‘Tank’ Davis’ co-trainer Kenny Ellis told Mill City Boxing that it was time for Lomachenko to retire if he didn’t want this mega-money bout.

Asked what his initial thoughts on the news were and what happens next, Ellis said he feels Lomachenko is ducking Davis and hopes WBC Champion Shakur Stevenson won’t do the same.

The move from Lomachenko to withdraw from negotiations does indeed open the door to a fight with Stevenson, who this month became a free agent after a longterm promotional deal with Top Rank.

In theory, the fight should be easy enough to make, with both men recently coming off a defence. Whether that translates to signing the contract remains to be seen.

BOXING

There Is Only One Man Who Can Beat Gervonta Davis Says Claressa Shields

By Richie July 21, 2024

Gervonta Davis is one of the most ferocious champions in the sport of boxing having knocked out all but two of his 30 opponents.

Now WBA Lightweight World Champion, ‘Tank’ from Baltimore made his first defence of the belt with a knockout win over previously undefeated Frank Martin.

In his typical fashion of giving away a few rounds to lure his opponent in, the 29-year-old found his opportunity in the eighth to lay fellow southpaw Martin flat on his back.

He is one of four champions in the 135 ranks, joined by Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Denys Berinchyk.

In an interview with The Only Kayla, two-weight undisputed champion Claressa Shields defended Stevenson for hitting back at criticism he has received due to his last two performances. In doing so, she named his as the only fighter who has a chance against Gervonta Davis.

One of the most sought after fights in the sport, Davis-Stevenson became more realistic this week.

‘Tank’ was previously in early talks with another champion in Vasiliy Lomachenko but the Ukrainian has decided he is not currently motivated enough to take the fight.

That leaves the door open for Shakur, who recently became a free agent, to step in and negotiate the fight all boxing fans want to see.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis, Vasiliy Lomachenko Break Off Contract Talks for 2024 Boxing Fight

Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko have cut off contract talks, ending hopes of a mega-fight between them in 2024.

According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, an official involved with the negotiations said they have been broken off due to Lomachenko’s desire to take the rest of 2024 off.

The two sides had been attempting to hammer out a deal that would have locked in a lightweight title unification bout for November in Las Vegas.

Representatives from PBC and Top Rank met last week in Las Vegas with the goal of finalizing a deal for an ESPN-Prime Video pay-per-view fight between Davis and Lomachenko, but they never got to the finish line, per Coppinger.

Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, explained that the Ukrainian star simply wasn’t feeling the idea of boxing again in 2024, saying:

“Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking off. He wants to spend more time with the family. … With Loma, just money is not what motivates him.

“He doesn’t take anything just because of money. You can offer him millions, tens of millions of dollars—if he doesn’t have motivation, he’s not ready to prepare for the fight.”

Davis, 29, is widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world. He boasts a perfect career record of 30-0 with 28 knockouts, and is the WBA lightweight title holder.

“Tank” most recently fought in June, beating Frank Martin by eighth-round knockout to retain his title.

The 36-year-old Lomachenko first rose to prominence as an Olympic gold medalist in 2008 and 2012, but he has enjoyed success in the professional ranks as well.

Loma is 18-3 with 12 wins by way of knockout, and he has won major titles in three separate weight classes.

After somewhat controversially losing to Devin Haney by unanimous decision in a bout for the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles, he bounced back to beat George Kambosos Jr. in May for the vacant IBF lightweight title.

While Lomachenko reportedly intends to return in 2025 to defend that title for the first time, Davis must now find a new opponent for the fall.

Coppinger listed Isaac Cruz, William Zepeda and WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson as potential options.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Team Reacts To Fellow Champion Backing Out Of Fight Talks: “He’s Done”

Word from the camps recently was that Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko were getting set for a lightweight unification bout.

The teams of the two champions – Davis the WBA and Lomachenko the IBF – had carried out initial talks that were reportedly going to ramp up this week. That was until the Ukrainian’s manager, Egis Klimas, told Steve Kim that his man ‘was not in the mood to fight.’

Despite the target date for the bout being November this year, making it still plausible, the negativity of the statement suggests talks are either off or on hold. ‘Tank’s team are certainly taking it that way.

Speaking on Instagram, co-trainer Kenny Ellis said ‘Loma’ ‘is done’ if he decides against the fight.

If negotiations have indeed collapsed, fans will look for Davis to face WBC Champion Shakur Stevenson instead – a fight both men have said can happen and one that’s more intriguing to most.

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Agrees With Roy Jones On Shakur Stevenson’s Major Defensive Flaw: “Easy Work”

Roy Jones Jr is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time and believes his keen eye has spotted a flaw in Shakur Stevenson’s highly-praised game that Gervonta Davis can take advantage of.

Speaking on the All The Smoke Fight podcast, Jones says the WBC lightweight champion backs up too much when defending shots, putting him out of range from landing counter punches.

The WBA belt holder Davis agrees with Jones’ assessment, telling Cigar Talk that all Shakur does to avoid getting hit is ‘jump back’ and believes the fight will be ‘easy work’.

Fans might have to wait a little longer to see the two battle it out as ‘Tank’ is currently in talks for a unification fight against IBF champion Vasiliy Lomachenko.

BOXING

Vasiliy Lomachenko “not in the mood” to fight Gervonta Davis right now, he wants to spend more time with his family

Many have waited for Vasily Lomachenko to fight Gervonta Davis. It has been a highly anticipated boxing fight and fans promotors and many others have been ready for it. However, that might be something that will have to wait for a while, at least until 2025 in a best-case scenario.

According to reports, Lomachenko has no intention of participating in any type of boxing encounter as he wishes to concentrate on his loved ones and his personal projects for now, as his manager told Steve Kim, a sports an entertainment personality.

“Loma is not in the mood right now, he doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking off, he wants to spend more time with the family. He doesn’t want to do anything till the end of the year,” reads in the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Kim says Egis Klimas said to him. “So he’s definitely not coming to the ring till the end of the year.”

Kim says that Klimas added that while Gervonta Davis is a highly lucrative bout, “With Loma, just money is not what motivates him. He doesn’t take anything just because of money. You can offer him millions, tens of millions of dollars — if he doesn’t have motivation, he’s not ready to prepare for the fight.” He also made clear that Lomachenko is not retired.

Many believe it is just a matter of time for them to meet

While many believe it won’t take much longer for Vasily Lomachenko to fight Gervonta Davis, Bob Arum is trying to pressure the situation, as he is very interested in matching them up.

With that said, he must also wait until Lomachenko fulfills whatever duty he believes he needs to accomplish personally before getting back to training and eventually inside a ring. How much time will it take him to find that motivation to get back to the sport is yet to be seen.