Gervonta Davis Feels he is Running Toward the Fire Against Mario Barrios
In his next bout, WBA “regular” lightweight and WBA “super” junior lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (24-0, 23 KO’s) will test the waters at junior welterweight. If successful against Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (26-0, 17 KO’s), Davis will arguably become a three-division champion. The term “arguably” is used depending on how much fans value the prestige of the WBA “regular” title that Barrios currently holds at junior welterweight.
When Tank slides through the ropes on June 26, Barrios will enjoy a notable height, reach and weight advantage. Obviously Davis is aware of this but he is far from fazed. To him, it is just another day in the office. If anything at all, Davis is most known for his punching power. As a result of those heavy hands, he feels it is a requirement to spar with bigger guys. Having become accustomed to banging with larger men, the Baltimore native doesn’t view going toe-to-toe with Barrios as being a very big deal.
“Even like now in the gym, I always spar bigger guys. Even when I am preparing for my fights, it’s always bigger guys because people my size can’t deal with my power. It’s just another day in the gym for me.”
GLORY AND BUSINESS
While it is true that Davis is not shrinking away from the physical deficits he will encounter, he is not overlooking them either. In fact, from his view point it is quite the opposite. When Tank thinks about his upcoming clash with Barrios, he views it as being one of the toughest contests of his career.
“It’s definitely dangerous because I am giving up height and arm reach. He fights at 140. I don’t fight at 140, and he is coming down. You got to think about it. If he fights at 140, he’s probably walking around higher than that.”
“So I am actually a smaller guy so I definitely think it’s a dangerous fight. That’s why we are taking the fight.”
In the end though, practicality more so than the thrill of the hunt was the ultimate reason that Davis opted to take on Barrios.
“It wasn’t too many people open at 135. Everybody got fights so it was just a bigger opportunity for me to go up to 140 and fight for a belt and become a five time world champion in three different weight classes. I think that’s greatness to me.”
FIRST THINGS FIRST
If Davis is successful, it will be interesting see if he remains at junior welterweight or makes a swift exodus back down to lightweight. Even though he is challenging Barrios for a title, it is a secondary belt. If Tank means to challenge for one of the primary belts, it’ll be against the winner of Josh Taylor vs Jose Carlos Ramirez. On May 22 the two will clash to determine the undisputed champion of the super lightweight division.
RELATED: Josh Taylor: “Gervonta Davis Has The Mickey Mouse Belt!”
Provided that hat doesn’t suit his fancy, Tank could return to lightweight. The biggest prize there would be unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez. Or, WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney would make for a big money fight and championship as well. Both Haney and Lopez have big names in the division and each fight would be warmly welcomed by the fans.
Yet, before Davis, or the fans, can start realistically dreaming about any of these intriguing match-ups, he must first pass the test of Mario Barrios.
By: Bakari SImpson
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