Has Tank Davis Done Enough to be Pound for Pound?
Regular WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (27-0, 25 KO’s) is currently on top of the world. In his last battle, he secured his twenty-fifth professional knockout and simultaneously silenced a very vocal rival. In that contest, Tank flattened Rolando “Rolly” Romero with one lethal counter left hook and ended the fight in Hollywood fashion.
To make the moment even sweeter, the bout was a pay-per-view event. It was the largest capacity crowd in the Brooklyn Barclay’s Center to date and was jam packed with stars, celebrities and top athletes from all sports. With all the attention and acclaim that he commands, and with this being his fourth pay-per-view event, there are those calling for Davis to be recognized as a pound for pound great. So the question becomes: is Tank the real deal?
WHO HAS HE BEAT?!
Ultimately, if we are being honest, we really don’t know how good or great that Gervonta Davis really is. This is because he has not consistently tested himself against the cream of the crop. In fact, this is the main critical charge that is routinely levied against the Baltimore native. Some may find that confusing given that he is a five-time, three division champion.
In his first attempt at a world title versus Jose Pedraza, Tank did impress with a seventh round knockout. It was the first loss of Pedraza’s record. Yet, as time has recorded, Pedraza would go on to lose all his major step-up bouts. Next, Tank would beat a professionally unremarkable Jesus Cuellar to pluck up a vacant WBA title.
This was followed up by a dust up with a long in the tooth Yuriorkis Gamboa for another vacant WBA strap. In the following match, Davis would struggle while being out-boxed against Leo Santa Cruz until his power bailed him out with a sixth round stoppage.
Lastly, Tank moved up to take the secondary WBA title from Mario Barrios. Prior to their prizefight, Barrios had not collected any major scalps and now he has back-to-back defeats after losing to Keith Thurman directly after Tank. This is said to say, Davis’ championship level competition has left something to be desired.
To cover his latest fight, sure Romero had worked his way into the #1 (WBA) position. Yet, outside of his “being big and hard-hitting”, virtually no respectable boxing insiders were giving Romero much of a shot at victory.
WHO HE DIDN’T FIGHT?!
Within his own lightweight stomping grounds, Team Davis nor his Mayweather Promotions backers have made any significant attempts to fight any of the recognized big threats in the division. There have been no real attempts to pen fights with Vasiliy Lomachenko, Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez or even Ryan Garcia. Well, there were some talks between the Davis and Garcia camps, but these seem to be unduly complicated by both believing themselves to be the bigger attraction.
To be a bit more damning, when squared off against so-called ‘lesser’ competition such as Romero or Isaac Cruz, Tank had his hands very full. Davis was being out-boxed by Leo Santa Cruz when he suddenly stopped him in spectacular fashion. Tank finally stopped the extremely impaired Yuriorkis Gamboa after toiling with the one-legged man for ten rounds or so.
A LITTLE TOO SOON
There is no question that Tank is a supreme specimen in terms of physical power, speed and agility. There is no doubt that one would have to be an impressive athlete themselves to truly compete with him. In fact, he really just may be the truth and a rare generational talent.
Yet, with that being said, can anyone honestly say that Gervonta Davis has gone toe-to-toe with the best competition around and displayed his separation of skill in the ring? Can anyone deny that Davis has had trouble with less than the best available?
Of course Gervonta Davis is an icon in the sport, but it would appear a bit premature to list him among the pound-for-pound best. Before we go that far, let’s see him rough up and dismantle the top tier fighters at lightweight before we bestow those tags so rapidly.
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By: Bakari Simpson
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