A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Gervonta Davis
Davis couldn’t have performed much better than he did on a memorable Saturday night in Las Vegas. Skill? Davis neutralized almost everything Garcia tried to do, overtaking and beating him from the second round onwards. Most notably, “The Tank” gave Garcia a few valuable openings to pull off his admirable left hook, leaving the underdog with virtually no chance of winning the teamfight. Davis is possibly the best technician in the sport. Power? Well, with Davis, that was obvious. He was attacked in Round 2 when he connected a short distance to the left causing Garcia to take down and set the tone for the rest of the match. Then, in Round 7, a blow to the left forced Garcia to his knees and he can’t continue. Davis did not punish Garcia, as his coach had suggested he would. However, he overtook him, knocking him out twice and scoring a striking knockout goal while taking almost no penalty himself. It was a bad night for one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars.
BIGGEST MISTAKE?
Overreacting to Davis’ victory
Davis’ performance was impressive but let’s not overemphasize the importance of his win. Garcia is talented, strong, and famous, but he’s no better – certainly not more successful – than some of Davis’ previous victims. We won’t know for sure how good Tank is until he knocks out at least one of the top 135-pound boxers, undisputed champions Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson or Vasiliy Lomachenko. He now deserves the pound-for-pound spot, with wins over the likes of Jose Pedraza, Leo Santa Cruz, Isaac Cruz, Rolando Romero, Hector Luis Garcia and now Ryan Garcia. However, that wasn’t enough to get him into the Top 5 and eventually No. 1, where many believed he would eventually land. How will he go up against Haney, Lomachenko or Stevenson, all of whom are much better fighters than Garcia? Maybe good. Maybe. It takes a win over one or more of the above to remove any doubt about Davis’ apparent greatness.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR DAVIS
Shakur Stevenson
Davis vs. Stevenson was the last light bout. Haney is a 135-pound athlete with great talent, which is why he is the undisputed champion at the moment. Lomachenko will have a chance to prove he’s still 35 when he challenges Haney on May 20. Both are more serious threats to Davis than Garcia. However, the boxer who can cause Davis the most trouble is Stevenson. The 25-year-old from New Jersey may be the best pure boxer in the game, as he showed in victories over Jamel Herring, Oscar Valdez and other top 130-pound boxers before rising. 135th. He’s almost impossible to clean. He doesn’t have the powers of Davis (or Garcia) but his skill set can be a puzzle that Davis would have a hard time solving. The same could be said for winner Haney-Lomachenko but there’s something magical about Stevenson.
LIGHTEST WEIGHT
davis
Very interesting debate: Who is the best boxer in the top 135-pound weight class? Winners Haney-Lomachenko, Stevenson, and Davis are clear contenders for the reasons outlined above: Their skill sets are superior and almost comparable. However, there is one thing that sets Davis apart from the rest: His punch power. Haney, Lomachenko and Stevenson will overtake you; Davis will overtake you and then remove your head from your body. That weapon cannot be underestimated because it provides him with a path to victory that others do not. Haney, Lomachenko and Stevenson may confuse Davis with their technical prowess for a while but if they can’t hurt him (and they probably can’t) it’s going to be difficult to frustrate him. . And, of course, he can change the course of any fight with a single punch. The jury is still out, but the eye test tells us that Davis is the one to beat in the 135-pound weight class.
THE BIGGEST FAILERS
Ryan Garcia
Garcia is exactly what Davis suggests of him, a limited boxer who relies too much on his left hook. And when he couldn’t make his signature shot, he got lost. The defeat certainly wasn’t a disaster for him, though he dared to think big, agreeing to take on one of the sport’s most feared boggarts. Things are not going well but he should be applauded for his boldness. And if anyone can come back, it’s him. He was only 24 years old, a year older than Canelo Alvarez when he was overtaken by Floyd Mayweather. Alvarez did well then. Garcia is talented, just not as talented as Davis. And while he was overpowered in the end, he wasn’t beaten in a fashion that could cost you years of your career. He’s been outboxed and crashed twice but the fact is he’s totally fine. He will now gain back up to 140 pounds, where he feels more comfortable. And don’t be surprised if he claims a spot among the best in that department.
TRIAL DOLL
Super Mid-Range Opponent David Morrel (9-0.8 KO) looks scary against a late substitute Yamaguchi Falcao (24-2-1, 10 KOs) on the Davis-Garcia show, scored a brutal goal knockout round one. Morrell doesn’t need a perceptual process. The opening bell was the signal for him to begin inflicting severe pain, something Falcao had struggled to realize. He injured the Brazilian with a headbutt and then dashed in to destroy, the game clocked in at 2:22. Falcao joined the fight after 10 days but I doubt a full team would change anything. Morrell is a good man, he is cruel and heavy-handed. I don’t know if he can beat Alvarez or David Benavidez but Cubans increasingly pose a threat to anyone. … News: reigning heavyweight champion Tyson’s Rage The report will protect against either Andy Ruiz Jr. or Zhang Zhilei in July. He will fight with his belt colleague Oleksandr Usyk in an ideal world but Ruiz or Zhang is a nice consolation prize. I like Zhang better. That match was somehow intriguing after Zhang stopped Joe Joyce on March 15. Ruiz was also a good pick, however. He’s proven capable and a good behind-the-scenes story, most notably his huge disappointment in another Briton, Anthony Joshua. Meanwhile, Usyk can finish defending against Daniel Dubois. Let’s hope Fury and Usyk get back to the negotiating table for a confrontation later in the year, assuming they win the interim skirmishes.
