SHOWTIME Boxing Premieres Gervonta Davis: The Rise
On Saturday July 27, Gervonta “Tank” Davis (21-0, 20 KO’s) will face the challenge of Ricardo “El Cientifico” Nunez (21-2, 19 KO’s) at the Royal Farms Arena located in Baltimore, Maryland. The headlining bout will serve as the second defense of Davis’ WBA super world featherweight championship and will air live on SHOWTIME Boxing.
In order to increase awareness about the bout, SHOWTIME has produced and released their most recent boxing segment “The Rise: Gervonta Davis” via YouTube.com.
THE STUDENT FINDS HIS TEACHER
More often than not, when boxing is mentioned it’s referred to as a lonely sport. This is due to the fact that fighters must ply their trade in the ring alone. However, this is not completely the case. While it’s certainly true, and undeniable, that the boxers must train properly and eat the punches by themselves, they are not ‘alone’ when doing so.
This most recent SHOWTIME production took the time to highlight the team behind Gervonta Davis.
Out of the members of his team, his head coach, Calvin Ford, received the most screen time. As a somewhat troubled youth growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Davis hastily discovered that he enjoyed boxing.
Not only did he find relief in punching other kids in the controlled environment, he realized that the useful past time kept him out of trouble. From the very inception of those days, Coach Ford was present and heavily influential to Tank.
“I noticed every day. Tank was always at the gym with me, always at the gym with me. Always at the gym, some days he beat me at the gym and that’s where our relationship came together.”
Calvin Ford – Gervonta Davis’ Chief Second
A BENEFICIAL BOND
It should not be a surprise that Coach Ford was influential to the young fighter because he already was and remains, a fixture on the Maryland boxing scene. Beneath the rough exterior that the young Davis exuded, Ford recognized a good person and potential world class talent.
All these many years later, those early speculations have been thoroughly validated. Now, Davis and Ford eagerly look forward to Tank’s limitless future potential.
“Coach Calvin basically raised me. Calvin was training one fighter name Ramon Manly and he got caught up in the streets and got locked up. I was right behind Ramon and Calvin, you know, started working with me.
We built a bond, a real tight bond and that’s been over some years and we was on the same mission.”
Gervonta Davis – WBA Super World Featherweight Champion
Along with Ford, albeit in much briefer portions, the SHOWTIME special also highlighted Davis’ strength and conditioning coach, Russ Blakney, as well as his assistant trainer, Kenny Ellis.
Each of these two men, like Coach Ford, have been staples in Tank’s life for numerous years. The tasteful, low-key production did a great job of capturing the camaraderie and chemistry of his tight-knit crew.
When Davis climbs into the ring on July 27, he will do so as a big favorite to prevail. In against Ricardo Nunez, Davis will be chasing his thirteenth consecutive win by stoppage.
By: Bakari Simpson
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