Gervonta Davis is on a quiet mission.
While his peers in boxing use their platforms to become more famous for social media prowess and the boxing spectrum expands into the fantastical with celebrity matchups becoming the norm, “Tank” is looking to gain another belt in yet another division.
Gervonta Davis’ power is no joke but will it follow him to junior welterweight? 🤔 #DavisBarrios
(via @premierboxing) pic.twitter.com/3M2DAGioCD
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) June 22, 2021
Now one of boxing’s biggest stars at just 26-years-old, Davis moves up to 140-pounds for the first time in his career as he aims to add super lightweight champion to his stellar resume against Mario “El Aztecs” Barrios this Saturday.
With a victory, Davis will hold world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few fighters, which include Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez.
If Gervonta Davis beats Mario Barrios what does he do next?
Does he stay at 140 pounds or move back to 135? pic.twitter.com/1Bo5w3aXUe
— TheCombatConversation (@TheCombatConvo) June 17, 2021
“For me, greatness is just not going backwards. I just want to keep going forward no matter what. No matter who’s in front of me, I just have to go through them. Where I’m from, a lot of people don’t make it out, so I’m doing something right. It doesn’t even have to be an opponent; it can be something outside of the ring. I’m always chasing greatness.
Unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight Champion Barrios will be looking for a signature victory bringing a 5 ½ inch height advantage into the matchup against Davis.
https://twitter.com/g0dgiven_/status/1404922661046829065?s=21
Since moving up to 140-pounds, Barrios is 9-0 with eight knockouts and scored multiple knockdowns in the only fight that went the distance, his title-winning performance over Batyr Akhmedov.
The San Antonio native will also have renowned veteran trainer Virgil Hunter in his corner.
“I think Gervonta and his team might have bit off more than they could chew with this fight. I’m not one to talk too much, but we’ll see how it plays out when we step into the ring on June 26.
“Tank is going to be in there with a full-blown 140-pounder. He’s not going against someone past their prime or going up in weight. I’m a guy who goes out and gets stoppages. He’s facing someone just as dangerous as he is, but two weight classes higher than what he’s used to seeing.”
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) delivered a highlight-reel knockout in his last fight when he stopped four-division champion, Leo Santa Cruz. In that October 2020 fight, one powerful uppercut put Santa Cruz down out for the first time in his illustrious career.
Josh Taylor on Gervonta Davis vs Mario Barrios taking place this week for the WBA 'regular' belt in his weight class: "Mickey Mouse title. There's only one champion at light-welterweight."
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) June 22, 2021
Davis will now make his second headline appearance on pay-per-view.
“Tank’s pay-per-view numbers opened up the doors for the rest of them,” said Calvin Ford, Davis’ trainer. It’s because of ‘Tank’s social media. When people ask me why people gravitate towards him – he’s just like any kid coming up from the inner cities. Look at basketball players – inner cities. Look at football players – inner cities. He’s showing them that if you put the right people around you and you put your mind to something, anything is possible.
“Tank,’ Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, and Ryan Garcia will be the Four Kings if the fights happen. Let’s keep it real. Right now, they’re doing the same thing that the Four Kings did at the beginning stage. All we have to do is sit back and let the minds that be do their thing. It’s going to happen. All these fights that people want to see are going to happen.”
