By Keith Idec
Now that he owns a world title, Tevin Farmer wants the fight that has long been discussed.
After beating Billy Dib on Friday night in Redfern, Australia, Farmer made it clear he wants to fight Gervonta Davis next. Farmer and Davis have a well-documented rivalry, but a bout between them has been delayed due to Farmer getting shot in his right hand last summer and Farmer’s controversial split-decision loss to Kenichi Ogawa in December.
With those setbacks behind him, the 28-year-old Farmer (25-4-1, 5 KOs, 1 NC) wasted no time calling out the undefeated Davis following his convincing victory over Dib to win the IBF super featherweight title.
“We’re gonna say this like this – so, you know, nobody wanted to give me a shot,” Farmer said during his post-fight interview in the ring. “Everybody was ducking me and ducking me and ducking me and not wanting to give me an opportunity. I had to kick the door in. So now, I got the belt and everybody wanna start screaming my name. And I’m gonna say it like this – no more talking. Send the f***ing contract and the money on the table and we can make it happen.”
The 23-year-old Davis (20-0, 19 KOs) wants to fight Farmer next, too. Otherwise, the WBA world super featherweight champion will consider moving up to lightweight.
“If Tevin don’t want to fight I’m going up,” Davis stated in a Tweet sent out a few hours before Farmer fought Friday. “It’s time to show I’m the best. I’m not saying this for my health.”
Baltimore’s Davis annihilated Argentina’s Jesus Cuellar in his last fight. The powerful southpaw dropped Cuellar three times and won a then-vacant version of the WBA’s 130-pound crown by stopping Cuellar (28-3, 21 KOs) in the third round of their April 21 bout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Philadelphia’s Farmer dropped Dib in the ninth round and easily out-boxed the former IBF featherweight champion in their 12-round, 130-pound championship match at Technology Park (https://www.boxingscene.com/farmer-drops-dib-easily-wins-decision-ibf-130-pound-title--130567). Judges Levi Martinez (119-108), Ian Scott (120-107) and Carl Zappia (118-109) each scored their fight for Farmer by wide distances.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.