GERVONTA DAVIS VS. RYAN GARCIA PREVIEW, BETTING ODDS, PHOTOS & NY-LA PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEOS
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Los Angeles, (March 9th, 2023)– Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis will have only 105 days of turnaround from his last fight when he boldly marches into untested waters when he faces social media and young rising star, Ryan ‘King Ry’ Garcia.
Davis, age 28, (28-0) with 26 knockouts, Baltimore, Maryland, and Garcia, age 24, (23-0) with 19 knockouts, Los Angeles, California, are not competing with WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF, or IBO world or regional titles on the table. Rather, the future of the 140 pounds super lightweight division is at stake, and passing through to 147 pounds welterweight division later on. The 140 pound super lightweight division must be conquered first by the ultimate winner of Davis versus Garcia, which represents an atom bomb explosion of aspiring titans.
(28-1) Regis Prograis of Houston, Texas, holds the WBC title, (18-1) Teofimo Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada, holds the WBO International title, (28-0) Arnold Barboza Jr. of Los Angeles, California, holds the WBO Inter-Continental title, and (16-0) Gary Antuanne Russell of Capitol Heights, Maryland, holds the WBA Continental Americas title. These names are just a sampling of the talented fighters in this highly competitive super lightweight division today. Also stars Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson could be future opponents for either fighter as well.
DAZN, Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions have a great matchup in Davis versus Garcia, April 11, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada which will be fought at a catchweight of 136lbs with a 10 pound hydration clause requested by Team Davis.
Davis versus Garcia is a close match on paper. Davis has championship experience at 140lbs with a WBA titular win over then (26-0) Mario Barrios at State Farm Arena in Atlanta in June 2021. Garcia has won twice at 140 pounds, but again, Davis has more championship experience.
Tank, at times a slow starter, is an excellent body puncher. Ryan Garcia has a very slight speed advantage since both fighters have very fast hands. The 5 foot 10 Ryan does have a significant reach advantage over Davis, with a 70 inch reach compared to 67.5 inch reach for the 5 foot 5 inch fighter. However, Tank is more elusive on his feet, has more variety in his combinations, uses angles and is harder to hit. Tank who tucks his chin in a tighter guard, has never been knocked down in his professional career. Ryan, at times, keeps his hands low and chin up which could open up for counter shots.
Ryan Garcia possesses an excellent left hook, which he used to stop and retire ex-Olympian Luke Campbell at American Airlines Center in Dallas in January 2021 after coming up from the canvas earlier in that fight for the first time in his career. Ryan tends to walk his opponents down in a straight line, has a decent jab, but not the kind of jab that is used to protect range, which would be useful against the shorter Davis.
Tank Davis has had problems with the law of recent, and needs to fight this bout with a clear mind. Obviously Tank’s women troubles and other legal matters did not affect his abilities in his ninth round stoppage of WBA World Super Featherweight Champion Hector Luis Garcia at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., this past January of 2023.
Joe Goossen, the trainer in the Ryan Garcia corner had both success and failure with the late Diego Corrales against Jose Luis Castillo in their legendary 2005 Las Vegas matches. If Garcia can take Davis into the later rounds, Garcia figures to win by stoppage. Tank figures to take Garcia out by knockout midway or in the late rounds of the bout. Davis’ trainer Calvin Ford will be looking for Davis to use his technical expertise to outpoint Garcia over 12 rounds. The bout is going to be a tactical gem. Holding does not seem to figure into the equation, unless Davis and Garcia are looking to land a shot off the break and then hold to prevent counters.
By the betting sources at present, Ryan Garcia is a little over a 2 to 1 underdog. If you bet 100 dollars, you win 200 dollars on Garcia. If you bet 270 dollars on Davis, then you win 100 dollars. After the pressers, the odds may change. In any case, the odds in Davis versus Garcia will get closer as the fight date approaches.
Current Average Betting Odds:
Francisco Fonseca was knocked out by both Davis and Garcia. Fonseca discovered Garcia’s immediate power when Garcia took him out early, but it was Davis who picked him apart first before knocking Fonseca out late. In past interviews Fonseca stated Ryan Garcia is the stronger of the two fighters.
Once his power is neutralized, Garcia will wind up in a lengthy technical battle with Davis, or will be in conflict trying to figure him out, which nobody has been able to do. Davis, to win, must remain agile enough to avoid getting hit by power shots from Ryan at any point. Garcia is going to find unlike previous opponents, Davis has a very high ring I.Q. Davis will try to keep Garcia close by moving forward to the inside, and try to keeping Garcia closer to the ropes away from ring center. Garcia will try to remain in ring center where his reach, size and power have enabled him to dominate opponents. Davis will not allow that. Davis will likely drop Garcia to the canvas on the inside with repeated pinpoint accurate counter shots.
Tank Davis is dangerous inside the ring, and usually underestimated due to his short stature. Garcia, a well-trained boxer with an extensive amateur background, will respect Davis’ abilities once he feels the power. Right now, I predict Tank Davis winning by a close majority decision.
Who do you have winning this fight? Comment below…
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DAVIS VS. GARCIA NYC PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
NEW YORK – March 8, 2023 – Undefeated boxing superstars Gervonta “Tank” Davis and “King” Ryan Garcia went face to face for the first time at a press conference in New York on Wednesday as they previewed their highly anticipated 12-round showdown that headlines a pay-per-view event on Saturday, April 22 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The telecast is being produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV and will be available across pay-per-view providers including DAZN PPV.
Davis vs. Garcia is promoted by GTD Promotions, TGB Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions.
Tickets for the live event go on sale Friday, March 10 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available here.
In a rare matchup of unbeaten superstars in the primes of their careers, Davis vs. Garcia is set up to be a crossover event that captures the sporting world’s imagination. With contrasting, colorful personalities and aggressive, dynamic styles in the ring that translate to highlight-reel knockouts, April 22 projects to be the must-see boxing event of the year.
Davis and Garcia squared off for a long and animated face-off at the conclusion of the press conference, offering a glimpse of the intensity on deck for fight night. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from Palladium Times Square:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“We’re back at it. This time we got another dance partner. I know that it’s going to be tough. This fight is definitely going to be tough. But this is what we came to do. We want the big fights.
“I’ve been boxing since I was seven. I fought a lot coming up. I’m just happy to be a part of this moment and share the ring with a young fighter like Ryan Garcia who’s daring himself to be great. He talked his way into this fight. April 22 he’s going to have to show it.
“I’m coming from Baltimore and a lot of people don’t make it from there. I’m just happy to be a part of this event. I couldn’t have done this by myself. I had a great team that got me here.
“We’ve stayed focused and kept our head down and continued to grind. That’s what really matters.
“I think this is important because we’re both young. Both of us are at our peak. A lot of young fighters don’t fight each other. We both made our name coming up and the time is now. We’re both great fighters and we put it all on the line.
“All I have to do is keep working and beat whoever they put in front of me. That starts with Ryan Garcia.
“My strategy is going to depend on what he brings that night. Whether he’s coming fast or slow, I always want to take my time. It all depends on what he brings.
“This is going to be an explosive fight. It’s two young guys who are hungry. It’s all about who wants it more. Whoever is really built like that, that’s who’s going to win. Nobody can fight for him. It’s about who’s got that dog in them.”
RYAN GARCIA
“This is a fight that I’ve been wanting for a very long time. To be a champion, you have to beat the best. It’s not about the titles, it’s about who you beat. It’s a testimony to the respect I have for Gervonta as a fighter.
“I want to be the best. During this whole journey, I put boxing first and the fans first. I had to accept a lot of stipulations, but my power comes from within and from above. My strength comes from my heart.
“We really came together and conquered the poison that’s been stopping boxing from making the biggest fights. We found a way.
“April 22 is the time where the words won’t matter anymore. The truth will come out. We’re both great fighters and we’ll settle it in the ring.
“If you look at boxing, it’s been hard to get prime fighters together. It usually happens too late. This is a moment that boxing has been longing for. You really can’t make a bigger fight than this.
“This is a defining moment in our careers. This is about legacy. This is about who really wants the crown.
“’Tank’ has the image of a devastating puncher. He’s a great fighter. I’ll know within myself what type of fighter I am after this fight. This is what I’ve always wanted.
“I just didn’t want to take the risk of an interim fight before this one. There are a lot of little things that can happen. I didn’t wait this long to mess it up at the finish line.
“I’m going to be ready for 12 rounds. You have to respect your opponent. You can’t just jump in to get a knockout. It might be more of a mental fight than people might believe. Different opponents make you approach fights in different ways.”
CALVIN FORD, Davis’ Trainer
“These two are bringing boxing back. You’re going to feel this energy. These are two great fighters. Y’all made it happen.
“This fight is about the next generation of boxing to come. I can’t wait for the night to be on this new level. After this fight, who’s going to be sitting on this throne? It’s a passing of the torch.
“We’ve been waiting for something like this for years. This is the fight that’s going to make the other fighters actually fight. This is how it’s done.
“Y’all ain’t seen nothing yet. The best is yet to come. I really can’t wait. We’re ready. Let’s do it.”
JOE GOOSSEN, Garcia’s Trainer
“What a great event this is going to be. When you get the two fighters together, it becomes real. We’ve both been training, but I think after this press conference, you get a renewed invigoration.
“We know it’s going to be a tough fight. Ryan is a great fighter and I know that you’re both going to put on a great show.
“These two men are going to go down in history. This is an incredible pairing that you don’t see too often. This is a pay-per-view that I would not miss. Because it’s going to be that exciting. We have two of the best fighters of this era sitting down at this table and I just can’t wait.”
TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions
“It’s happening. This highly anticipated super fight, which the fans have been begging for, is happening April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Make no mistake, this is a super fight. It’s one of the biggest that boxing has to offer.
“It’s not often in today’s game that we see two fighters in their prime, both undefeated and both powerful knockout punchers, colliding in their primes.
“This is boxing at its best. It wasn’t ordered. It’s the case of the two best fighters in the division making this happen.
“Any fight with ‘Tank’ equates to big business and financial success. He’s broken records everywhere he’s fought and it’s made him one of boxing’s biggest stars. He’s one of the most explosive and dangerous fighters in the world.”
LEONARD ELLERBE, Boxing Promoter
“This is two undefeated guys coming together and it’s going to be nothing but fireworks. You have to give all the credit to the two fighters. It’s not about the promoters, it’s about Ryan forcing this fight.
“This is by far the biggest fight in the entire sport. I recall that a couple of years ago when I was in Miami, Ryan approached me and said I want to ‘eff your boy up’. That’s the only fight that he wanted.
“’Tank’ Davis is going to go out there and show you why he’s one of the best fighters in the world.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions
“This is a mega-fight. That phrase gets thrown around a lot. How often do you get two guys who are undefeated, with huge fan bases and who are early in the peak of their career?
“This is bringing the best two fighters in their weight division in the same ring. We’re all working together to make this big mega-fight. It almost never happens, but this is one that the world is not going to miss.
“We’re going to bring back the glory days because of Ryan Garcia. April 22 these two fighters are going to battle it out. I’m not going to fight for them. They have to do the job themselves.
“These two wanted this fight. Ryan Garcia wanted this fight years ago and now it’s here. May the best man win. I have a lot of respect for ‘Tank’. He’s a special fighter, but Ryan Garcia is special as well.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, Golden Boy Promotions Partner
“This is one of those fights that we didn’t see except for once or twice a year in the 1980s or 1990s. This fight has the ingredients. These two fighters will be future Hall of Famers. This is the biggest fight of this year. We should all treat it that way.
“Tell everyone who aren’t fight fans to tune in to this one. This is going to be a fight that hooks them and makes them stay in the sweet science.
“Don’t ask me who is going to win, because you know which side I am on.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, SHOWTIME SPORTS
“’Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia are two fighters in the core social media demographic who are legitimate fighters with huge fan bases. This is a social media promotion. These guys don’t get the credit they deserve for being skilled boxers. They are obviously bringing in fans beyond the core base. They are brands.
“We have two very different fan bases geographically who both travel. Ryan’s fan base is really strong in Southern California, the Southwest, and among the Mexican-American community. ‘Tank’s’ core is the East Coast, although he has obviously done well across the country. We have two very engaged fan bases, and two very different fighters.
“This fight is the rising tide that lifts all boats. There is an enthusiasm that permeates everything else. It elevates the level of action.
“This fight is one of the cornerstones of our very ambitious 2023 schedule. It’s a battle of the two most popular young fighters in the sport, two fighters in their athletic prime and two of the most exciting fighters in any weight division. Put that together and you have the biggest fight that is on the boxing schedule.
“When a fight this big gets made, there is no shortage of people rushing to take credit. ‘Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia deserve the credit for this fantastic event. Throughout the long negotiating process, they never wavered. They remained focused, refused to take the easy way out and take other opportunities, and delivered what the sport and the fans wanted.”
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DAVIS VS. GARCIA LA PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
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