Don’t mistake Gervonta Davis vacating a junior lightweight title for the second time with his being done with the division.
For now, all focus is on adding a third belt as the unbeaten southpaw from Baltimore collides with Miami-based Cuban export Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-2, 18KOs) for a vacant lightweight title. Their bout takes place this Saturday, airing live on Showtime from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We came to 135 to snatch a belt, and I felt like I definitely wanted to do that,” Davis (22-0, 21KOs) noted during a recent media conference call to discuss the event.
The bout will mark the third of the year for Davis, following just one fight in 2018 and an active yet disappointing 2017 campaign which saw both his first title win and also a low point in his career. The undefeated knockout artist opened 2017 with a one-sided stoppage of Jose Pedraza to begin his first 130-pound title reign, making just one successful defense before conceding his title at the scale later that August.
A win over Jesus Cuellar last April put another belt around Davis’ waist, but also marking his lone piece of ring action in 2018. The new year has produced a new plan, including three headlining appearances on Showtime which will amass in the vicinity of 35,000 fans by the time the opening bell sounds for this weekend’s main event.
Davis’ clash versus Gamboa trails two successful 130-pound title defenses, which have lasted a combined three rounds. His homecoming knockout win over Ricardo Nuñez saw Davis making weight easier than in his one-round blitzing of Hugo Ruiz in February, and—while Friday’s weigh-in will tell the final tale—all signs point to his easily acclimating to the lightweight limit.
A win will put the 25-year old in prime position to challenge the best at lightweight in 2020. There also exists the possibility of perhaps pursuing a path that leads to his becoming a three-time junior lightweight titlist.
“For me, the jump back down to 130, I believe I can do it,” insists Davis. “If the right opportunity comes, I'd definitely come back to 130.
"[Moving up to lightweight was just a game plan for me and my team. I'd be a two division, three-time world champion. So, I thought it was a great idea to do, so we did it.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox