Broner: Tank Davis will fight Ryan Garcia after Leo Santa Cruz

By Boxing News - 08/03/2020 - Comments

By Jim Maltzman: Adrien Broner says that Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis will be fighting Leo Santa Cruz and then Ryan Garcia after that in his next match. Broner is predicting that Tank knocks out both guys, and he likes Ryan.

It’s a case of Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) having too much size for Ryan and Santa Cruz. Leo and Ryan Garcia aren’t lacking in height, but they don’t possess the right fighting style to keep from getting beaten.

Ryan has huge power in his left hook, but it’s hard to see him landing it on Tank Davis. With a fighter as powerful as Tank, you’re not going to have a lot of time to try and walk him into a big punch.

It’s not as if Davis will stop throwing punches and left Santa Cruz will be able to take advantage of that.

Tank could make $30 million in his next 2 fights

“He’s about to fight Leo Santa Cruz,” said Broner to Fighthype on Tank Davis’ next fight. “He’s going to fight Leo Santa Cruz, and then he’s going to fight him [Ryan Garcia].

“Tank is going to make some big money soon. In his next fight [against Santa Cruz] and his next fight after that [against Ryan Garcia]. He’s got the chance to make 20 or $30 million, and he’s going to knock both of them out too.

“No, Tank is going to knock him out,” said Broner when asked if Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia will be competitive.

Image: Broner: Tank Davis will fight Ryan Garcia after Leo Santa Cruz

$30 million is a lot of money for Tank Davis to be getting for his next two fights combined, but it’s possible. For Daivs to have a shot at those big paydays, he would need to fight Ryan Garcia in his next contest after the Santa Cruz bout.

Ryan is one of the guys that can really move the needle at 135, and Gervonta is also extremely popular.

Broner: Ryan Garcia is Golden Boy’s biggest star

“I like Ryan. They’re marketing him well,” said Broner. I” said Tank is going to knock him out, but I like the Ryan kid. They’re marketing him well, and he’s a star.

“He [Ryan Garcia] called me, and said, ‘Man, they’re trying to play with me,’ and I told him to stick with his guns because he’s the biggest fighter they [Golden Boy Promotions] have over there.

“He needs to get paid, and they’ve got the money. So I don’t even know why they’re playing with him,” said Broner about Ryan Garcia.

Broner might be forgetting that Golden Boy Promotions has Canelo Alvarez in their stable, and he’s a much bigger star than Ryan. You can say this though.

Ryan is Golden Boy’s most popular younger fighter, and that includes Vergil Ortiz Jr. Ryan has more fans than Ortiz Jr, and he has the charisma. If Ryan is able to capture some world titles at 135, he could surpass Canelo in popularity.

Image: Broner: Tank Davis will fight Ryan Garcia after Leo Santa Cruz

Canelo is an excellent fighter, but he’s not as entertaining to watch outside of the ring like Ryan Garcia. Alvarez can’t compete with Ryan Garcia outside of the ring.

Davis is a dangerous fight for Santa Cruz

“It’s all on him,” said Shawn Porter to Fighthype when asked if Tank Davis can make the 130-pound limit for his next fight against Leo Santa Cruz. “If he wraps his mind around that and gets his mind ready.

“I love that fight too. That’s a fight that I think Tank Davis is going to handle. I think he’s explosive and has all the tools at this point to beat Leo Santa Cruz.

“That’s a good fight, and I think that’s a fight for Tank. That’s a little dangerous for Leo, and Leo has done it all. There’s no ‘only shot,’ especially for that fight.

“Leo is extremely seasoned, he knows his way around the ring. He’s got boxer’s eyes. He knows what he sees, he makes the right moves. I’ve seen him do that time and time again,” Porter said.

Gervonta (23-0, 22 KOs) is a very dangerous fight for Santa Cruz, and it’ll end badly if Leo doesn’t change his normal high-pressure style of fighting.

Image: Broner: Tank Davis will fight Ryan Garcia after Leo Santa Cruz

That approach would work for Santa Cruz against fighters in the 118, 122, 126, and 130-pound divisions, but it won’t be effective against Porter. He’s too big of a puncher.

Santa Cruz will get chewed up if he goes into the teeth of Porter’s offense and tries to wear him down the way he’s done against his past opponents.

Santa Cruz must pressure Gervonta

“He’s been more relentless than anything, then a lot of fighters out there,” Porter continued. “And so I expect him to pressure Tank. That’s part of his boxing game too.

“It’s to pressure you and wear you down. It’s going to be a great fight. I go back as far as the amateurs too. I got pictures with Leo when we were winning championships together in the nationals and the international team and stuff like that,” said Porter.

Santa Cruz is capable of boxing when he wants to, which makes him a little more complex than Porter thinks. Leo’s dad will surely want him to box Tank rather than pressure and slug with him because that’s the only way he can win.

In Santa Cruz’s fights against Abner Mares and Carl Frampton, he showed that he can adapt and stick to a different game plan. Leo boxed both of those fighters and did an excellent job of doing that.

Image: Broner: Tank Davis will fight Ryan Garcia after Leo Santa Cruz

What’s important to note is the way that Santa Cruz stuck with his original fight strategy, and stuck with it throughout those contests. He didn’t lose composure and revert back to his pressure style of fighting, which is why he won.

Tank will beat Leo

“Leo is a great athlete and a great fighter,” Porter said. “I’m saying Tank’s going to win, and I do think that’s a fight that Tank will win, but that’s a fight that you don’t want to miss.

“Because I guarantee you that even with Tank winning that fight, there’s going to be some adversity coming his way even in winning. I’m not even saying this is a fight that he’s going to roll over Leo.

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“I’m simply picking a winner. I think that’s a fight that Tank has been waiting on, and if he’s locked and loaded to get don to 130, I think that’s his fight to take.

“But trust me, there’s going to be some adversity in the ring both ways. You can write him [Santa Cruz] off if you want to. I’m not going to do that,” said Porter.

Most fans are already predicting a knockout win for Tank over the 31-year-old Santa Cruz, and it’s understandable they view it that way. Tank is a tremendous puncher with incredible hand speed, and huge size.

Additionally, Santa Cruz only recently moved up to 130, and he didn’t look so hot in his first fight in the weight class against Miguel Flores last November. Santa Cruz’s power in the weight class was unremarkable, and he looked like a fish out of water.

You can understand why Santa Cruz has moved up from 126, though, as the money fights are better at 130.

In that weight class, Santa Cruz can lure the top 135-pounders like Tank, Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez, and Vasily Lomachenko to fight him.