Gervonta Davis caused a stir across the boxing world.
The ‘face of boxing’ left many fans speechless as he hinted at retirement after a series of bouts planned for next year. The revelation emerged during the kickoff presser of his next fight against Lamont Roach Jr. The duo will slug it out for Davis’ WBA lightweight title on March 1 at the Barclays Center in New York. Returning after a year-long break that followed the win over Ryan Garcia, on June 15, ‘Tank’ defeated Frank Martin during his first title defense as a ‘full’ champion.
In addition to discussing retirement, Davis shared insights about his opponents, igniting debates across social media and boxing platforms. The decision to fight Lamont Roach Jr. has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning the impact this matchup could have on Davis’ legacy. Even staunch supporters of ‘Tank’ Davis now find their arguments under scrutiny.
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It seems Stephen Espinoza‘s recent remarks mystified boxing enthusiast Showbizz The Adult. When asked why ‘Tank’ Davis was fighting Lamont Roach Jr., the former Showtime president shared how discussions of a potential fight against Shakur Stevenson, which could have followed Davis’ bout with Frank Martin, ultimately fell through.
“When you have fighters the caliber of Canelo, the bar is always high. You know when you continue to perform well against high-level opposition, you know people expect a lot from you,” explained Espinoza. One could argue that there’s always the option of ‘Tank’ moving up a division to face tougher challenges.
But Stephen Espinoza addressed the notion beforehand. He explained the Baltimorean had previously moved up to 140 pounds. However, he was best suited for the lightweight. “I know Tank has gone up to 140, and he would on occasion. He hasn’t looked the best there; you know, over on I think 135 is his best weight,” he stressed.
However, Showbizz The Adult offered a different perspective. The point is not whether a boxer looks ‘good’ in a particular division. The point is whether he can step out of his comfort zone and prove himself in challenging weight classes.
If he joined the 140-pound roster, the content creator admitted, ‘Tank’ Davis might have to exchange jabs with the likes of Jack Catterall, Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela, or who knows, even Devin Haney. “But Tank doesn’t look at his best at 140. It’s a challenge there; that’s the point. I bet you if Gervonta was at 140 and fighting Catterall and fighting Rayo and fighting Devin Haney, he wouldn’t be sounding like this,” he added.
A closer look will reveal that even Canelo Alvarez, a natural middleweight, never looked comfortable at 168 pounds. Vasyl Lomachenko is another example. He looked out of place in the lightweight division. Showbizz The Adult pointed out, “You think Pacquiao looked his best at welterweight? Floyd Mayweather didn’t look his best at 154, but he kept fighting there. That’s the point.”
To strengthen his argument, the social media personality turned to boxing history, highlighting the career of Roberto Duran. The Panamanian great began as a super featherweight and competed across seven divisions, even reaching light heavyweight.
Despite setbacks, Duran’s willingness to face challenges in unfamiliar weight classes cemented his status as one of boxing’s all-time greats. Duran’s journey serves as a powerful reminder of what it takes to achieve lasting greatness. His courage and determination remain an inspiration, encouraging contemporary fighters like Davis to embrace similar challenges.
As Gervonta Davis reflects on his career trajectory and future plans, the question remains: Should he take the risk of moving up to prove himself against tougher competition? The examples of past legends suggest that true greatness often lies beyond comfort zones.
