GERVONTA DAVIS is back in action TONIGHT in a tasty fight against unbeaten contender Frank Martin in Las Vegas.
Knockout artist Davis hasn’t fought since his win against Ryan Garcia over a year ago and spent some time in jail – but is now ready to defend his WBA lightweight title once again.
Martin represents a tricky challenge for Davis, having beaten Michel Rivera and Artem Harutyunyan in his last two bouts.
- Start time: Main event from midnight ET/9pm PST
- TV channels: Amazon Prime PPV
No glove lost
Ryan Garcia was involved in a brawl with boxer Caleb Plant at Gervonta Davis’ fight.
Garcia wants rematch
Gervonta Davis gatecrashed Gervonta Davis’ fight with Frank Martin to demand a rematch – before embracing with his rival.
He even wore a T-shirt with the words “rematch me b***h” after campaigning to face Davis again up in weight.
But despite the bad blood, the two put that aside to embrace after Davis knocked out Martin in round eight.
Davis KOs Martin
The champ has the likes of Vasyl Lomachenko, Shakur Stevenson and a rematch with Isaac Pitbull Cruz in his sights.
He added: “All them guys are on my radar.”
Credit: Getty
Davis KOs Martin
Asked if anyone can compete with him, Davis says: “I mean, I don’t know until they get in there with me but I’ve been around for a long time.
“I’ve been training since I was seven-years-old, competing since I was eight so it’s like second nature.
“It’s about staying focussed. Make sure my minds on the goal and it’s always to come out on top.”
Credit: AP Davis speaks out
He continues: “No, his footwork wasn’t bothering me I knew that he was going to tire down.
“So that what I was doing, just being a target there for him to tire himself out and I started picking him apart.”
“Yeah, it’s like a little cherry but it’s okay it comes with the sport.”
Davis speaks out
He adds: “No, his footwork wasn’t bothering me I knew that he was going to tire down.
“So that what I was doing, just being a target there for him to tire himself out and I started picking him apart.”
“Yeah, it’s like a little cherry but it’s okay it comes with the sport.”
Davis speaks out
He says: “Yeah, just a little rusty but I’m back.
“A couple pf rounds I feel I didn’t warm up completely like how I wanted to but I did warm up and got caught as the fight was going on.
“But it’s okay, no excuses.”
Davis vs Martin
Whipping uppercut did the damage with Martin stunned but a follow up left hand closed the show.
Another huge KO and Martin was left flat on his back and unable to beat the count.
Clean-cut KO.
Davis vs Martin
Davis gave away a lot of the opening half but stayed patient and confident in his timing and power.
Towards the second half, Davis crept closer and closer and eventually landed the left hand that nailed Martin.
Another highlight-reel KO for Tank Davis.
Davis vs Martin
Round 8 – DOWN GOES MARTIN!
Big left hand flattens Martin and Davis is already on the ropes celebrating…
The referee makes it to the count of ten and that’s all she wrote.
Davis vs Martin
Round 7 – Big round for Davis.
At the start of the round, Davis landed big but Martin was able to return fire.
Towards the end, Davis just teed off on Martin and despite one big counter left, it was Tank who let his hands go on a stationary target.
Davis vs Martin
Round 6 – Left hands land for both to mark back and forth action.
But Davis has Martin trapped in the corner a few times and lets his left hand go.
Davis coming on now but Martin still looks sharp on the back foot.
Davis vs Martin
Round 5 – Davis is on the front foot constantly and always threatening with the left.
But Martin looks comfortable on the retreat and even lands a few counters on his way back.
Although Davis did land a lovely lead right hook in the round. Best punch of his fight so far.
Davis vs Martin
Round 4 – Davis really going searching for Martin and lets some left hands go.
A couple of uppercuts whisk by but some do find the body and Davis looks to press forward now.
Martin still boxing well on the back foot but it must be paying a toll. Maybe we could see a switch if Martin begins to feel the pace and pressure.
Davis vs Martin
Round 3 – Davis really upping the pressure as he talks Martin with the high guard and lets his left hand go.
But again, nothing major lands and it’s Martin who is connecting with telling counters.
Davis also almost gets his feet in a muddle on a few occasions as he lunges in.
Davis vs Martin
Round 2 – Martin pumps out the jab and catches Davis with a few left hands.
Davis is walking forward with a high guard trying to find a big left hand or lead right hook but nothing doing.
Martin holds on a dew times, maybe a sense he feels the power coming.
Davis vs Martin
Round 1 – Good start from Martin.
Very active with his lead right hand jab, going to the body and landing a good few left hands.
Davis tucks up for most the round with a high guard but he didn’t offer much offensively. Maybe sussing Martin out.
Davis vs Martin
Round 1 – Here. We. Go.
Opening round, southpaw vs southpaw.
It could be Martin’s strength and size against Davis’ speed, power and precision. Fascinating fight!
Here we go!
Both men have walked out and are in the ring now.
Legendary MC Jimmy Lennon Jr introduces both men to the Las Vegas crowd and it’s almost time!
Davis’ WBA lightweight title with unbeaten records on the line.
Spar wars
Davis and Martin once sparred in Vegas in a session which has been majorly disputed.
But Martin told SunSport: “I don’t really go off the sparring session.
“It’s not like we sparred multiple times and we know each other as fighters.
“It was a long time ago, I’m a way better fighter than I was then, he’s a way better fighter than he was at that moment as well.
“I don’t really go off the sparring session,” he says.
“It’s not like we sparred multiple times and we know each other as fighters.
“It was a long time ago, I’m a way better fighter than I was then, he’s a way better fighter than he was at that moment as well.
On Ger way
Tank has been out of the ring for 14 months since he stopped Ryan Garcia in their mega-fight that sold over ONE MILLION PPVs.
It also gave the American the self-proclaimed title as the face of boxing with over £50million believed to have been made in his career.
Davis now returns against unbeaten Martin, 29, in Las Vegas and does so in a bid to prove he is the best 135lb lightweight in the world.
He said: “I just want to prove I’m the best at 135 and June 15th is just going to be a clinic.
“He’s just going to be a stepping stone to where I want to be.”
Davis’ stunning rise
Gervonta Davis has had the most stunning of rises from sleeping on the floors of crack dens to becoming one of boxing’s top stars.
Davis grew up on the mean streets of crime-ridden Baltimore – home of gritty hit TV series The Wire.
His parents were both believed to have battled the same crack cocaine addiction that was the central theme of the award-winning show.
So it makes Davis’ journey to the top of boxing as a multimillionaire pay-per-view star even more impressive.
Ahead of his fight with Frank Martin, he told Amazon Prime PPV: “I’m already a legend from where I’ve came from, for what I’ve done.
“I’ve been through mad stuff; sleeping on floors, crack house, all that type of stuff, I’ve been through all that.
“I ain’t got to prove nothing to nobody else. That’s why I will never get too hyped about the win after I win.
“Because it’s like you’ve always got to do something over and over again until you’re done.
“And there’s always going to be someone next, somebody next. So, I don’t feel I need to prove myself to these people.”
‘Just go 12 rounds’
Frank Martin believes he’s found a has a pretty clear path to beating Tank – don’t get knocked out.
Easier said than done against one of the hardest punchers in the whole sport, with 27 of his 29 wins coming via KO.
Martin said: “Yeah, we know he’s always getting outboxed by guys.
“Even in his last fight (a KO win over Ryan Garcia), he was getting out-boxed.
“We’ve just got to go 12 rounds.”
MAIN EVENT TIME
Up next is the headliner of the night.
Gervonta Davis defends his WBA lightweight title against unbeaten Texan Frank Martin.
It is his first fight since beating Ryan Garcia in April 2023 – when a short prison sentence followed.
Credit: Getty Benavidez vs Gvozdyk
Benavidez refuses to give up on his dream fight against Canelo Alvarez as he opens the door to a move back down to super-middleweight.
But his win over Gvozdyk makes his WBC mandatory for the belt owned by Artur Beterbiev.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
