Gervonta Davis bulldozed into the Pound for Pound Top Ten unequivocally by stopping Ryan Garcia at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Davis had been on the fringes of the WBN top ten for so long after debates over the validity of his ‘regular’ world title wins.
After halting an up-and-coming star in Garcia, Davis moved to 29-0 with a 27th knockout. His place among the elite is unquestioned.
After two years of build-up, it ended with two of boxing’s most exciting and popular fighters going toe-to-toe. They traded blows in front of a sold-out crowd of 20,842.
Gervonta Davis body shot
The end came with a fierce body shot in round seven of their lightweight showdown. Before that, Davis lost the first round and the sixth to Garcia.
Davis caught Garcia with a sweet headshot in the second, dropping him to the canvas. For the following three rounds, it was all “Tank.”
Just as Garcia started showing signs of a comeback, Davis ended it was a sweet liver crack to his opponent’s ribs.
Davis got the upper hand with his mighty straight left hand to the body. It caused a delayed reaction from Garcia, eventually seeing him take a knee.
After his greatest triumph, Davis spoke to Jim Gray.
“I didn’t think that body shot would end it. But I saw his facial expression. That made me take it to him,” Davis explained in the aftermath.
“It was a good shot, for sure. I thought he would get up, but I like to play mind games. So when he was looking at me, I was looking at him, trying to tell him, ‘Get up!’ – And he just shook his head, no.”
Ryan Garcia was knocked down
In addition, discussing the second round thud he landed, Davis added: “The first knockdown was just him not knowing his placement.
“I knew that I was the smaller guy. My coach told me in the camp that he will come up with his head up, so just shoot over the top.”
Asked what it felt like to be involved in such a high-profile Pay Per View event, the Baltimore native responded: “Everything about this was exciting.
“I was excited to be a part of this event. I remember coming up in the Golden Gloves and seeing Floyd Mayweather fight at MGM Grand. It was crazy.
“I actually just saw Rihanna perform at the Super Bowl. I thought, ‘That’s going to be me one day.’ And we’re here.
“The reality definitely matches the dream. But the job is never done until I retire. So I will keep my head down, stay humble, and continue to work.”
Furthermore, considering whether he sees himself as the number one fighter on the planet, Davis said: “I’m definitely the face of boxing. Absolutely!”
Davis vs Garcia headlined a SHOWTIME PPV production Saturday night from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
