By: Sean Crose
He can be polarizing for some, but Gervonta “The Tank” Davis has an incredibly impressive skill set. Although he is yet to participate in a legal superfight, the 27-year-old has passed their eye test multiple times – often against qualitative objections. Davis’ opponent Sunday night at LA’s Staples Center was himself a quality boxer – a high-quality guy, in fact. Whether or not Isaac Cruz can beat Davis remains to be seen, but no one is claiming the match was a joke. This may not be the kind of fight to break through for mainstream American audiences. It might not even deserve the status of a pay-per-view event. However, what Davis-Cruz is is quite fascinating. This is not the type of man who jumps around in one hoop for twelve laps.
Boasting a 25-0 record, Davis won all but one of his matches by knockout. As Floyd Mayweather’s defender, Davis seems set to become one of the biggest names in boxing. He’s not at superstar level yet, but Davis is definitely the most popular – and with good reason. Carrying incredible speed and power, lightweight WBA Davis is a delight to watch in the ring. The favorite man entered a 12-month affair that was scheduled for Sunday for a reason.
For 22-1-1 Cruz, the boxer is no slouch. Like Davis, he also knows how to end the show early. He’s also a fascinating athlete to watch, one who moves forward after a solid jab and often ends the night by turning off the lights on his opponent. Furthermore, Cruz had only lost one match, and that was nearly six years and twenty opponents before. Don’t be fooled by the imperfect track record, Cruz isn’t down.
Will he be able to rewrite a memorable sadness in 2021, a year of memorable upheavals, coming to an end? It looks like Davis’ speed, strength and overall talent will tell the story, but few picked Teofimo Lopez to lose to George Kambosos last weekend. If Cruz gets rid of his sadness, the world of boxing will once again be rocked on its heels. On the other hand, if Tank is able to win as he’s expected, then he’ll certainly continue to face the same criticism and ridicule he’s had over the past few years. That may not be fair – but boxing has a reputation for sure for a reason. It tests opponents both inside and outside the ring.
