Gervonta “Tank” Davis will face “King” Ryan Garcia in 2023 in a battle of unbeaten fighters in Las Vegas. The fight, contested at a catchweight of 136 pounds, has no date but has been rumored for April. It also will not be for a title. Additionally, Davis said he is taking a stay-busy fight on Jan. 7 against Hector Luis Garcia in Washington, D.C., less than an hour from his native Baltimore.
I’m so pumped this fight is finally in place — I want it more than anything right now. I’ve put in the work, I’m at the prime of my career, and I know I’m going to be the biggest boxer in the world. That legacy starts today🥊 pic.twitter.com/6Hv5y3hwMY
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) November 17, 2022
“I’m so pumped this fight is finally in place — I want it more than anything right now,” Garcia tweeted. “I’ve put in the work, I’m at the prime of my career, and I know I’m going to be the biggest boxer in the world. That legacy starts today.”
Boxing NEEDS this fight right now. It’s time for us to get back to what made this sport so great for the fans: Glamorous fights in places like Las Vegas, grudge match storylines, and most importantly — the best fighting the best.
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) November 17, 2022
“Boxing NEEDS this fight right now,” he continued. “It’s time for us to get back to what made this sport so great for the fans: Glamorous fights in places like Las Vegas, grudge match storylines, and most importantly — the best fighting the best.”
Immediately all the powers in boxing that made the fight happen began to weigh in.
Done deal. It's on.
All credit to Tank and Ryan. Lots of obstacles along the way, but they both stayed the course to give the fans the fight they want. #DavisGarcia #TankRyan pic.twitter.com/nOge6tHJxF
— Stephen Espinoza (@StephenEspinoza) November 17, 2022
“Done deal. It’s on. All credit to Tank and Ryan. Lots of obstacles along the way, but they both stayed the course to give the fans the fight they want,” tweeted Stephen Espinoza, president of Showtime Sports.
Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) fights under GTD Promotions in conjunction with Mayweather Promotions and the Premier Boxing Champions banner. He fights exclusively on Showtime Sports and is among their highest pay-per-view draws. Meanwhile, Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, which has an exclusive broadcast deal with DAZN, a digital streaming service.
The fight will be a PBC on Showtime event, with the show also available on DAZN, which is not uncommon in boxing when major stars align with pre-established broadcast deals.
I’ll be back in the ring Jan 7 stay tuned for more details! After that it’s me and Ryan signed sealed delivered…done deal!
— Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) November 17, 2022
Tank tweeted that he would be fighting before the Garcia matchup, leaving many to wonder why he is taking the stay-busy fight.
“I’ll be back in the ring Jan 7 stay tuned for more details! After that it’s me and Ryan signed sealed delivered…done deal!” Tank tweeted.
Davis’ last fight was a blockbuster knockout over Rolando “Rolly” Romero at the Barclays Center in May. Waiting for Garcia would make over a year of inaction; for Davis, that is a dangerous proposition with the hungry Garcia.
WE FOCUSED ON JAN. 7TH FIRST 🫡 NEVER LOOK PAST AN OPPONENT. LOCKED IN 🔒 #TheONE #StandOnBusiness pic.twitter.com/RfF2joUvBs
— GTDPROMO🦍 (@TankDavisFan) November 17, 2022
The news comes on the heels of fan disappointment that the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford undisputed welterweight showdown has yet to be finalized.
“I want to bring the best fights to you, that’s it,” De La Hoya said on his Instagram Live. “Ryan wanted this fight, Tank wants this fight, so we’ve come to terms and we bent over backwards making everything happen and making sure everybody’s happy.
“So I’m happy that DAZN and Showtime are gonna work together to bring you guys this special fight. Let’s talk about who’s gonna win. I have to go with Ryan, obviously, because he’s my Golden Boy fighter, but not only that, I think Ryan has the speed, the power, the intellect, the ring generalship. He has that height, he has the quick-twitch movements. It’s gonna be one of those fights where whoever makes the first mistake is gonna get caught and possibly get knocked out, so this is why you don’t want to miss this fight.”
