Mario Barrios Hungry To Show He Will Be Too Much For Gervonta “Tank” Davis on June 26
WBA World ‘Regular’ super lightweight champion Mario Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs) is days away from the highest profile fight of his professional career. On June 26 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, he makes a second defense of the title against WBA ‘Super’ world super featherweight/WBA ‘Regular’ world lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (24-0, 23 KOs).
The challenger’s last fight was on October 31, 2020, when he scored a 6th round KO over Leo Santa Cruz at 130 pounds. He has decided to move up to 140 pounds in hopes of becoming a three-division world champion.
Barrios is in a peculiar position. Despite being the defending world champion and facing an opponent rising two divisions, many oddsmakers view him as a decided underdog. So it’s safe to say that there is a chip on his shoulder.
NOT ONE TO BE SLEPT ON
The 26-year-old Barrios from San Antonio, Texas feels Davis and his camp view him as an easy mark. During a virtual interview with Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast, the fighter known as “El Azteca” said that “Tank” and his team barked up the wrong tree.
“Come June 26, he’s gonna be in there with a full-blown junior welterweight, not someone whose past their prime, not someone who’s coming up in weight.
Someone who has been at 140, someone who is just as dangerous as he is, but at two weight classes higher than he’s been at.”
There is some familiarity between the two fighters as Barrios fought on the undercard of Davis v Santa Cruz. On that night, it was the Texan’s first fight under the tutelage of his new trainer, Virgil Hunter. He told Custer that Hunter has helped him to become a more complete fighter. There’s great admiration for his calm, yet direct coaching style. The hope is the lessons learned will play a factor in his upcoming fight against Davis.
Barrios v Davis will air live on SHOWTIME PPV. Though he may be an underdog according to the “experts”, the defending champ is chomping at the bit to show the world what kind of fighter he truly is.
“He’s in there with someone who has a very similar background, coming from nothing. I’ve been able to change not only my life but my whole family’s lives, just like he has.
At the end of the day, I’m just as hungry as he is. I’m going to do whatever I can on June 26 to make sure that the world title stays in San Antonio. He has a very dangerous task in front of him, as well.”
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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