A fight between Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson pits two world champions with extremely different approaches to boxing against each another. It is, without doubt, one of the highest level fights to be made in the sport.

‘Tank’ Davis has knocked out all but two men who stepped through the ropes with him, often giving away rounds early in order to close the distance and unleash when the time comes.

Stevenson does not give away rounds. In fact, he makes it his business to win comfortably without taking much back at all. According to CompuBox, opponents land on him on average just 5.3 times per round.

Davis holds the WBA Lightweight World Title and Stevenson the WBC, so the fact that it’s a unification makes it all the more intriguing. When the latter split from Top Rank after a long promotional deal, fans thought there would be no obstacles in the way of making the bout happen.

Whilst Stevenson hasn’t announced his next business move, he has been pictured with Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh, who is fast becoming the most influential man in the sport, and will likely end up on his event next, perhaps through Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom.

However, in an interview with Mill City Boxing, ‘Tank’s co-trainer Kenny Ellis said linking up with the man from Saudi Arabia makes the fight less likely.

“For Shakur [Turki Alalshikh] is more like protective custody, cause Shakur don’t need him to make that fight and if he do go with him he not gonna fight Tank. So, it’s like PBC for real, you know? My opinion.”

Asked for the details as to why the fight wouldn’t happen, especially given Alalshikh expressing that he is keen to work with ‘Tank’, Ellis wouldn’t elaborate.

Shakur Stevenson isn’t afraid to fail. Harsh criticism is something ‘Sugar’ takes in stride. Case in point: his last performance against Artem Harutyunyan at the Prudential Center in his hometown, Newark, saw fans leaving during the championship rounds, and boos echoing through the stadium. But that isn’t stopping him from challenging the best fighters in the lightweight division. The WBC lightweight champion is currently waiting in the wings for the most explosive fighter in the division, WBA titleholder Gervonta Davis.

In an exclusive interview with Andre Ward, when asked if the fight against Davis would happen or not, Stevenson replied confidently, “Yeah I know it’s going to happen, I mean I’m the best… he the best, so when you got two guys that’s the best how can you not fight.”

To back up Stevenson’s statement, his co-manager, Josh Dubin reaffirmed that ‘Killer Kur’ is “waiting and ready to negotiate” and a financially viable offer is all that is needed to close the deal with ‘Tank’. “[We] have our phone lines open, ready for a call, and they have our numbers. It’s a fight Shakur really wants. He’s been begging for it for a long time,” Dubin asserted.

Even though Shakur Stevenson’s display in his last two matchups in the lightweight division was underwhelming, to say the least, he is still willing to challenge the division’s most exciting fighters as fear has no place in the 25-year-old fighter’s mind. In his latest X post, Stevenson opined, “Get to it or die trying. Fear is fake don’t fear failure long as u always give 110 percent u can live with the results.”

On the other hand, Davis’ plan to fight Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko has been foiled, as the latter wants to take a break from boxing “to spend more time with the family.” On that note, a fight against Shakur Stevenson seems like a good option. Possibly, the only factor stopping Davis from taking the fight is his gun-shy performances contributing to his diminishing pay-per-view appeal.

Nonetheless, if the Gervonta Davis fight doesn’t work out for Stevenson, there is another fighter waiting to share the ring with him.

De La Hoya wants to offer Zepeda to Stevenson!

Ranked No. 1 by all four major sanctioning bodies, the WBC has ordered Shakur Stevenson to defend his title against mandatory challenger Zepeda. The sanctioning body has set a deadline for the purse bid on August 20, before which the two fighters need to negotiate a deal.

Likewise, Zepeda’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, wants to give him the first world title shot against the Newark native. “I want to make that fight. Shakur, skill-wise, is probably the best fighter on the planet today. “I think the only one that’s in the way of making that fight is me, but I’ll tell you one thing. I will make that fight,” De La Hoya confidently told FightHype.

A win this weekend for Isaac Cruz could prove huge for the “Pitbull”.

It hasn’t been too long since Gervonta Davis‘ last fight, but the boxing world wants to know what “Tank” is going to do next. Another show-stopping knockout victory, this time against Frank Martin, once again proved that Davis is arguably the most dangerous fighter on the planet.

That would generally make it difficult to find him a willing opponent, although Shakur Stevenson continues to claim that he’s fully ready to negotiate and get the possible mega-fight done. There are still plenty of obstacles to clear for that to happen, which could pave way for others to enter the fray.

Isaac Cruz vs Tank Davis rematch coming in November?

According to the VP of Communications at Haymon Sports, who lead Davis’ promotion company PBC, Isaac Cruz could find himself in a rematch with Davis later this year.

I think Tank’s date is November. I guess that’s a possibility if Pitbull comes through his fight unscathed. The timing works out… I would like to see him in a rematch. I would really like to see him and Pitbull go at it again, with Tank not having a hand injury or anything like that. I thought it was one of his toughest fights. Just to see how that would be with him at full strength.

Tim Smith, who was speaking with Kurt Emhoff from The Ring Magazine, conceded that Cruz gave Davis “probably one of his toughest fights“, although he believes it was squarely due to a hand injury.

Since that fight in 2021, Cruz has won all four of his bouts, with three coming by stoppage. He’s currently fighting at super lightweight, where he’ll defend his WBA belt against Jose Valenzuela this Saturday.

Shakur Stevenson has shut down claims that a fight between him and Gervonta Davis is already set for November 23.

The American lightweight rivals are being heavily linked with a unification clash later this year after Tank’s planned next bout fell through.

Ever since Gervonta “Tank” Davis scored an eighth-round KO win over Frank Martin in June, there were rumors the WBA lightweight champion would be taking on IBF champion Vasyl Lomachenko in a unification bout in his next fight.

Unfortunately for boxing fans, talks between Davis and Lomachenko have broken off, per ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.

According to Coppinger, Lomachenko has decided to take the rest of the year off and will not fight again in 2024.

Long-time boxing writer Steve Kim spoke to Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, for further context and specifics.

According to Kim, Klimas said, “Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment. He’s taking off. He wants to spend more time with the family. He doesn’t want to do anything until the end of the year. So he’s definitely not coming to the ring until the end of the year.”

According to Klimas, there are other factors besides money for Lomachenko. He has to be motivated; if he’s not, he won’t fight. He did make sure to clarify that Lomachenko hasn’t retired, which is a logical question given his age (36) and the current situation.

If you’ve been paying attention to Lomachenko of late, as another prominent journalist in boxing, Raging Babe has been, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

She posted this on X, referencing Lomachenko’s potential struggle to get motivated to fight more following his triumphant victory over George Kambosos Jr. in May.

Lomachenko has had a legendary amateur and professional career. He will go down as one of the best fighters of his era–even if he never boxes again.

When that is the case with any fighter, and there are questions about motivation, it is only natural for fans and others to wonder if we’re at the end. As for Davis, he has plenty of options.

A fight with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson would be massive. The two men have traded barbs on social media for over a year. Stevenson is a free agent after his contract with Top Rank expired following his win over Artem Harutyunyan in July.

Stevenson took to X with the following cryptic post after the news about Lomachenko pulling out spread on social media. The post is lyrics from Eminem’s iconic “Lose Yourself” track.

Davis ranked among the world’s top 10 boxers

Gervonta Davis, also known as “Tank,” has made a name for himself in the world of professional boxing. With a net worth of $10 million, he has secured numerous world championship titles, including the IBF super featherweight title and the WBA lightweight and super featherweight titles. In 2022, he was recognized as the tenth-best boxer in the world by the Boxing Writers Association of America. However, Davis has also faced legal issues, particularly related to domestic violence charges.

Born on November 7, 1994, in Baltimore, Maryland, Davis attended Digital Harbor High School before dropping out to pursue his boxing career. His journey in the sport began at the age of five when he started training at the Upton Boxing Center under Calvin Ford.

As an amateur boxer, Davis achieved significant success, winning multiple National Silver Gloves Championships and the National Golden Gloves Championship. He also secured two National Junior Olympics gold medals and two Ringside World Championships, finishing his amateur career with an impressive 206-15 record.

Davis transitioned to professional boxing in early 2013 and quickly made an impact with a knockout victory in his debut match against Desi Williams. He continued to build an undefeated streak, defeating notable opponents such as Israel Suarez and Alberto Mora. In early 2017, Davis faced off against José Pedraza for the IBF super featherweight title and emerged victorious with a knockout in the seventh round.

From amateur prodigy to pro dominance

Reflecting on his career, Davis stated, “I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today, and I’m grateful for the opportunities that have come my way.” His determination and skill have propelled him to success in the ring, earning him recognition as a formidable boxer in the industry.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis has achieved significant success in professional boxing, securing multiple world championship titles and earning recognition as one of the top boxers globally. However, his legal troubles have also been a prominent aspect of his public image, highlighting the complexities of fame and responsibility.

Isaac Cruz catapulted his career from a middle-of-the-pack contender into a heralded commodity in 2021 when he came in as a late replacement opponent and gave knockout artist Gervonta Davis all he could handle in a close decision loss.

“Pitbull” proved that a fighter can evolve into a star even in defeat, and the performance led to four straight appearances as a co-featured attraction on pay-per-view cards, the most recent one in March being an eighth-round stoppage against Rolando Romero to capture his first world title.

Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) will be showcased again on a mega card when he defends his WBA junior welterweight title for the first time against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) on Aug. 3 as the co-main event to Riyadh Season’s debut event in the United States.

The show will take place at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on DAZN, ESPN, and PPV.com. It will be headlined by the junior middleweight matchup between Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov, along with a performance by rap star Eminem.

Just like Eminem is known for a hit list of cult classics, the 26-year-old Mexican fan favorite Cruz is quickly becoming known for his cult following.

“I’m really happy about how fans come to see me,” Cruz told BoxingScene. “My hard work and dedication have led me to where I am now, where the fandom in Los Angeles can feel that I am the people’s main event. I will continue to work hard, make sure I keep earning that and give the fans what they want on fight night.

“I give everything I have every day in training camp so I can perform at my peak every time I am in front of the fans. I leave my heart in the ring every time, and boxing fans see and feel it. That’s why they love me … Whether it is one round or 12 rounds, I will come prepared and make sure the fight is a spectacle.”

The 5-foot, 4-inch power-punching Cruz has been billed as the ”Mexican Mike Tyson” and pegged as the next great Mexican pay-per-view draw after Canelo Alvarez. Cruz said he’s ready to parlay “Pitbullmania” and start headlining his own PPV shows moving forward.

“I feel that I have the right tools and capabilities, physically and mentally, to take on that responsibility if that’s what’s coming next for me,” said Cruz. “I think I’m ready for any challenge that comes in front of me. I don’t fear anyone.

“I trust my management team to decide what’s next for me.”

Cruz is signed to Manny Pacquiao’s promotional company. Lifelong boxing executive Sean Gibbons serves as Cruz’s manager, and Premier Boxing Champions head Al Haymon advises Cruz and has showcased him on PBC shows ever since the fighter made his United States debut in 2019.

Cruz’s wins against Thomas Mattice, Diego Magdaleno and Francisco Vargas set him up as a credible challenger to Davis. After going toe-to-toe with Tank, Cruz has since bested Yuriorkis Gamboa, Eduardo Ramirez, Giovanni Cabrera, and Romero.

“I don’t know if [Davis is] afraid or not to face me in a rematch, but what I do know, with the right training camp and right preparation, if I face Gervonta again, I can give him a big surprise,” said Cruz.

If Cruz beats the 25-year-old up-and-coming southpaw Valenzuela in front of what should be a significant Mexican crowd, roars for a rematch clash against Davis will only get louder.

“Life is all about challenges,” said Cruz. “If Valenzuela feels like he can be a champion, he has to take challenges with the toughest guy out there. [Valenzuela] is one of the toughest guys out there, too, and that gives me a lot of respect. I’m welcoming the challenge. He’s a worthy opponent.”

Cruz’s master plan is to participate in title unification fights, with 140-pound belt holder Teofimo Lopez Jr. leading the bunch, and then resume his career once again as a lightweight.

“I want to stay at 140 pounds for my two-year plan, and I may go back down to 135 pounds. But for now, I am a 140-pounder,” said Cruz.

“I want to face the other three champions to unify the division. It all depends on who is up to the challenge. That’s what it will take for me to get to the next level and become the next supper PPV star.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.