Boxing is an attraction based sport.
The team behind Gervonta Davis is building an attraction.
Whether they’re building a great fighter remains to be seen. The seeing, the finding out, is part of the fun. We already know Davis is good enough to beat a solid young pro like Jose Pedraza and, like many a young fighter before him, he’s added some familiar veteran names to his docket. In the last year, Davis has done with increased fanfare.
Davis’s homecoming to Baltimore was a gate success delivering a lively crowd. Atlanta will put a lot of butts in the seats Saturday night (Showtime, 9 PM EST) for Davis’s arrival to the lightweight division. An additional light heavyweight battle between former lineal champion Jean Pascal and former super middleweight titlist Badou Jack should make for an entertaining night.
It extra spice to an already intriguing stew. Division leader Vasyl Lomacenko has already named Davis as a desired foe. Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, like Davis, haven’t seen 26 yet. There’s going to be action, and money, made at 135 lbs. as showdowns develop.
Can veteran Yuriorkis Gamboa throw a wrinkle in the future, providing one more surprise in a 2019 with several of them?
Let’s get into it.
Stats and Stakes
Gervonta Davis
Titles: None
Previous Titles: WBA “super” Super featherweight (2018-19, 2 Defenses); IBF Jr. lightweight (2017, 1 Defense; lost title on the scale)
Age: 25
Height: 5’5 ½
Weight: 134 ¾ lbs.
Stance: Southpaw
Hails from: Baltimore, Maryland
Record: 22-0, 21 KO
Press Rankings: At 130 lbs. - #2 (TBRB, Ring) #3 (ESPN), #5 (BoxRec); At 135 lbs. - #5 (Boxing Monthly)
Record in Major Title Fights: 5-0, 5 KO
Last Five Opponents: 138-8-1 (.942)
Current/Former World Champions Faced: Cristobal Cruz TKO3; Jose Pedraza TKO7; Jesus Cuellar TKO3; Hugo Ruiz KO1
Vs.
Yuriorkis Gamboa
Age: 38
Title: None
Previous Titles: IBF featherweight (2010-11)
Height: 5’5 ½
Weight: 134 ½ lbs.
Stance: Orthodox
Hails from: Miami, Florida (Born in Cuba)
Record: 30-2, 18 KO, 2 KOBY?
Press Rankings: #10 (BoxRec)
Record in Major Title Fights: 1-1, 1 KOBY (8-1, 4 KO, 1 KOBY including interim and WBA secondary titles)
Last Five Opponents: 121-25-8 (.812)
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: Orlando Salido UD12; Daniel Ponce De Leon Tech. Dec. 8; Darleys Perez UD12; Terence Crawford TKO by 9; Rene Alvarado UD10; Roman Martinez KO2
The Pick
Let’s be honest: this appears meant to be a showcase fight. It’s there to send the crowd home buzzing about the main event star they came to see against a name they recognize. The name isn’t the fighter they remember. While always defensively vulnerable and often prone to lapses in concentration, Gamboa was once among the more exciting fighters in the world while at featherweight. He had power, blazing hand speed, and could be dropped. It lent drama to fights he was often otherwise winning going away. Gamboa still has some pop and plenty of courage but his drop in speed is palpable. It’s a case of effective management that he’s in position for Saturday.
In 2017, Gamboa was beaten up and stopped by journeyman/fringe contender Robinson Castellanos and then found himself highly fortunate to get a decision over Jason Sosa. In his last two fights, Gamboa was matched with other veterans more faded than he.
Gamboa’s place adds to criticisms of Davis’s resume but some of that may be because of the plethora of belts (and the WBA’s seeming willingness to create belts for Davis doesn’t help either). At only 22 fights, and 25 years old, Davis is where a lot of fighters were at similar points in their career opposition wise. Take away the ‘titles’ and would it be as big an issue?
The tests will come. Davis will arrive at them with a supportive fan base to up the ante for those showdowns. Eyebrows were raised when he stepped on the scale heavy Friday on the first attempt, Davis already having lost one belt on the scale. Davis ultimately made weight so it’s a tempest in a teapot for now.
The fight is on and it probably won’t last long. In Davis, Gamboa faces an explosive puncher with killer instinct, speed, and youth on his side. Gamboa might be able to draw on his experience and some early bursts to make good TV but barring a freak shot this should be the Davis show. Gamboa doesn’t have the reflexes to avoid the incoming for long and he doesn’t appear to have the legs anymore to survive an onslaught. The pick is Davis inside five, maybe even two, rounds.
Rold Picks 2019: 72-19
Additional Monday Picks
Badou Jack Dec. Jean Pascal
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com