By Eric Thomas: WBA Super World super featherweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (20-0, 19 KOs) says he’s going to contact his adviser Al Haymon to have him setup a fight against WBA ‘regular’ welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) after seeing his fight last Saturday night against former four division world champion Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner (33-4-1, 24 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I want to fight Pacman next. I’m calling Al [Haymon] tomorrow,” Gervonta said on his Twitter.
Davis’ career would get a big shot in the arm if he could get a fight against Pacquiao. It wouldn’t matter if Gervonta losses. He would still gain popularity just by trash talking during the build up. If Gervonta takes the same approach that Broner did, he could deny that he lost afterwards if the fight goes the full 12 rounds.
This is what you call NAME DROPPING on Gervonta’s part. He obviously knows he has no chance of getting a fight against Pacquiao. But by calling Pacquiao out, Davis is going to get attention from the casual boxing fans, and that in turn will help increase his popularity without him having to risk his neck in the real sense against Manny.
Pacquiao, 40, is looking for a bigger money fight than what Gervonta would be able to give him. Pacquiao wants a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. so that he can get a nine-figure payday. Pacquiao vs. Gervonta would be a decent fight, but it would be one where it wouldn’t create as much interest from the casual boxing fans. Gervonta, 23, isn’t a big enough name at the moment. He needs to build up his popularity more before he can lure guys like Pacquiao into wanting to fight him.
Although Pacquiao won the fight by a 12 round unanimous decision, Gervonta, 23, saw something in his performance that makes him want to face him next, after he defends his own WBA 130 lb title against former three division world champion Abner Mares (31-3-1, 15 KOs) on February 19 at the Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson, California.
Pacquiao beat Broner by the scores 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112. The fight was a lot more one-sided than those scores would indicate.
Davis needs to stay focused on his next fight against Mares, 33, because that’s going to be a tough one next month. Mares has only lost three times in his long 14-year pro career, and that was to Leo Santa Cruz [x 2] and Jhonny Gonzalez. Davis is facing a very good fighter, who has more boxing skills than anyone that he’s faced thus far. Davis’ best opponent of his six-year pro career is Jose Pedraza, and he’s not in the same league as former three division world champion Mares.
Pacquiao, 5’5 1/2″, is he same height and possesses the same reach as Gervonta. The difference between the two is the hand and foot speed advantage that Pacquiao has over Davis. Pacquiao is also a lot more experienced against better opposition than what Davis has fought. There’s no comparison between the two fighters in terms of the level of opposition.