Tevin Farmer Wants Gervonta Davis But Expects JoJo Diaz!
In the super featherweight division, there has been an on-going acrimonious rivalry between Tevin “American Idol” Farmer and Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Each of the two men are belt holders in the division. Farmer secured the vacant IBF strap over Billy Dibb on August 3, 2018.
In fact, Farmer has same IBF belt which Tank lost to the scales when he faced Francisco Fonseca. After losing his IBF title, Davis was able to wrap his hands around the WBA belt by defeating Jesus Marcelo Andres Cuellar on April 21, 2018.
WHATS THE HOLD UP?
From the outside looking in, this has all the markings of an explosive prizefight. It would be a fun unification between a boxer and puncher who share ample bad blood. Honestly, a fight fan can’t ask for much more of a perfect showdown. But will we see it?
If you ask Tevin Farmer, the answer is, no! At the moment, there is renewed interest in this intriguing scrap. This is because after their separate July 27 fights, each man took the time to call the other out once again.
As far as the fighters are concerned, they are presenting every indication that they are ready to chuck knuckles. The big question is how do their management teams feel about the matter? In the American Idol’s estimation, its Tank’s The Money Team overseers who are gumming up the gears of production.
“He don’t call the shots, he got a boss. When I say I want to fight someone we make it happen. That’s the difference between me and him. When he say he wants to fight someone, his team step in to say, ‘well we going to move Gervonta the way we want to move him, we building a super star.’
“He don’t call no shots. When I hear Leonard Ellerbe or Floyd Mayweather say, ‘we want Tevin Farmer, we want him next’ then that means something. When I said I want Jono Carroll, I got him! When I said I want Jo-Jo Diaz, we are going to get him unless he take another fight. So, [there’s] a difference, we’re not the same.”
FARMER WAGERING ON THE SAFE BET
Unfortunately, if you subscribe to Farmer’s outlook, since July 27, neither Leonard Ellerbe nor Floyd Mayweather Jr have even whispered the IBF champion’s name. To Farmer’s credit, Ellerbe and Money Mayweather have never given any impression that they were eager, or anywhere near close, to penning a bout with him. This is why the slick Philly fighter verbally called out Tank, but is putting more energy into securing dust-up with Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz.
“I feel like Jo-Jo Diaz fight can be made way easier. I’m with DAZN, Jo-Jo Diaz and Golden Boy are with DAZN, I have a world title, Joseph Diaz wants my world title.
“Golden Boy wants a world title, but do they actually believe that he can win? I don’t know if they believe it. Would they get paid off it? Yes. So, if they going to sacrifice for the pay check, I don’t know. But I think it can get made though.”
EITHER FIGHT IS A WINNER
Either fight, with Davis or Diaz, certainly would result in memorable and exciting bouts. Although, it goes without saying that Farmer v Davis would mean more in their own career and the division at large.
Yet, as the most active champion in the sport, Farmer is not thinking about sitting on his hands and waiting an inordinate amount of time for any one fighter. So, the IBF champion is very much focusing on unification. Although, he is more interested in securing a solid fight, and fast!
“If we can make it happen, if he [JoJo Diaz] don’t take another fight, that’s the fight we’re gunning for. Definitely, I don’t think it’ll be a unification. That’s going to be hard to make in today’s boxing. That’s not going to happen for real, for real. I don’t believe it. And if it do, it’ll be a shocker to me.”
By: Bakari Simpson
