LAS VEGAS (AP) — Even when others had the microphone at their news conference, Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Frank Martin couldn’t help themselves.
They carried on a seemingly endless conversation Wednesday that ended only when Davis pretended to take a swing at Martin as they posed side by side for photos. Martin flinched and Davis left the podium laughing.
Whether Davis has the last laugh Saturday night will be determined when the undefeated fighters, both 29, face each other for Tank’s WBA lightweight championship belt.
That bout highlights the 100th championship fight night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which has been replaced by T-Mobile Arena as Las Vegas’ prime spot for combat sports. But the MGM has a rich history, and the co-main event will feature the interim WBC light heavyweight title fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) hopes to create more MGM memories by putting on a show similar to the last time he was in a ring more than a year ago. He delivered a devastating left uppercut that floored Ryan Garcia for a seventh-round knockout in the April 22, 2023, fight at T-Mobile.
“I’ve been locked in for a long time now,” Davis said. “My give-back is going to be a great performance on Saturday night.”
As Davis noted, the Baltimore native and resident has a history of backing up his words, winning titles in three divisions and five championships overall.
And Davis likes to talk. Much like the nasty back-and-forth he and Garcia engaged in leading up to their showdown, he hasn’t backed off with Martin. But Davis and Garcia acknowledged after their fight much more shared affection and respect, making their apparent spat look contrived.
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How much of Davis’ chatter with Martin was genuine, trying to sell extra pay-per-views or revving himself up is anyone’s guess, but Tank make sure to play the familiar role of taunting his opponent.
“He’s shaking up there,” Davis said of Martin. “He was talking tough (Tuesday) when it was just him. It’s going to show. He’s a frontrunner.
“He’s just worried about not getting knocked out. He’s not worrying about winning.”
Martin, who lives in Indianapolis, has done nothing but win in building an 18-0 record with 12 knockouts. This is his first shot at a championship belt, though there were arguably better and more marketable opponents for Davis in Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson.
Those fighters could still be waiting for Davis, but Martin can put a damper on such plans with an upset victory. Davis a -700 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook, meaning a $700 wager would pay $100 if he wins.
