By Miguel Rivera
IBF super featherweight world champion Jose Pedraza is not underestimating his upcoming opponent, unbeaten Gervonta Davis, but he's been studying tapes of his next challenger and doesn't see anything to be concerned about.
Davis has won by 15 of his 16 fights by knockouts. The two fighters will meet in the ring on Saturday night in a Showtime televised fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event is headlined by a super middleweight unification between Badou Jack and James DeGale.
"Davis is a talented fighter, a strong and skilled young man. I imagine that by being a protégé of Floyd Mayweather Jr. it's helped position him in quite a few big scenarios, but it's not the same when facing an A-class boxer. It's just not the same," said Pedraza to Carlos Gonzalez.
"I do not underestimate him because he is young. There was a time when I his age and I still have the hunger to be the world champion in several sanctioning bodies. The problem is, Davis has faced C and D class opponents and when he touches them they fall."
Pedraza has a great understanding of Davis's strengths and weaknesses. The Puerto Rican boxer has spent hours carefully studying his opponent.
"(Davis) is fast and attacks fast. He pulls the uppercut well and he's a fast and skilled boxer. However, he does not use his legs much. He opens up too much, particularly when throwing his hooks. He has his jaw out there when he opens up. I understand that he gets tired [in fights]. He has never gone the 12 round distance in a fight. I realize the most he's been up to is nine [rounds]. With good pressure, his resistance can last six or seven rounds. I still can not say if (Davis) has a big punch, but what I can assure you is that he will never be the same as Edner Cherry."