By Jake Donovan

Some 1,400 miles away from where Gervonta Davis delivered an early knockout in front of a capacity hometown crowd, Tevin Farmer opted for the old adage ‘win today, look good the next time’ in his latest title defense. 

The pair of 130-pounders have spent more than two years circling one another but evolving beyond social media banter. With both scheduled for mandatory title defenses on the same evening, it would seem to clear a path for a title unification for their next ring adventure.

That’s how it would seem.

“It can’t be made,” Farmer (30-4-1, 6KOs) dismissively told DAZN’s Chris Mannix following his latest title defense, outpointing France’s Guillaume Frenois over 12 rounds Saturday evening at College Park Center in Arlington, Tx. “(Davis) says one thing, the people behind him say another.”

Most of the interview was drowned out by vocal boos from the crowd, who were not at all entertained by his performance versus Frenois (46-2-1, 12KOs), a first-time title challenger who did little to earn the mandatory title opportunity. Making matters worse for Farmer was losing viewers to those who attempted to go split screen for dueling broadcasts, but instead clicked off the DAZN stream to catch the competing Showtime telecast.

“I don’t care about the crowd,” Farmer insisted. “I came in the fight, I fought, get paid. I don’t care if the fans boo. They gonna love me or they’re gonna hate me.”

Davis (22-0, 21KOs) did his part to minimize conflict, tearing through his own mandatory challenger in stopping Panama’s Ricardo Nuñez in two rounds. The bout topped a Showtime-televised card which played to a beyond-capacity crowd of 14,686 at Royal Farms Arena in Davis’ hometown of Baltimore, Md.

After the fight—his first at home since the early stages of his career—Davis didn’t make any bones about his next desired fight.

“Tevin Farmer fought tonight, he’s probably still fighting right now,” Davis accurately noted to Showtime’s Jim Grey after posting his second title defense. “I want Tevin. That’s a fight that can be made. Let’s get it on later this year.”

Farmer would love to believe it but has already been down this road before. Eddie Hearn— Farmer’s co-promoter along with Lou DiBella—made at least two offers to Davis’ handlers, as the young southpaw is under contract with Mayweather Promotions and advised by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) creator Al Haymon. 

Any effort made on their end went virtually ignored by Davis’ side (though not by the boxer himself), with Farmer instead kept active far more than any other male titlist in the sport today. Saturday’s bout was his fifth title fight in a span of less than a year, having registered his fourth overall title defense.

Whether the next one comes versus another fellow titlist or even current 130-pound contender Joseph Diaz Jr.—another boxer with whom he’s traded social media barbs—makes no difference as long as he can keep fighting often.

“If (a Davis fight) happens, it happens,” stated Farmer, who is now unbeaten in his last 24 starts. “If it don’t, I don’t give a damn. I want all the champions. Miguel Berchelt, Jamel Herring shout out to him… who else? Gervonta Davis, let’s go.

“Tell him sign the contract so we can see at the end of the year (who is the best).”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox