By Jim Calfa: Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis showed up fashionably late in New York City, wearing a purple fur coat for today’s press conference with Ryan Garcia for their fight on April 22nd.
Despite the unprofessional late appearance, Tank (28-0, 26 KOs) conducted himself well, saying mostly nice things to Ryan (23-0, 19 KOs), aside from a caustic remark about him having talked his way into the fight rather than earning it.
Ryan did take a verbal shot about Tank by letting him know that he at least was professional about showing up on time and promoting their fight before he arrived.
You could tell that Ryan wasn’t happy about Tank being almost two hours late for the press conference. Hopefully, Tank doesn’t do the same thing this Thursday for the Los Angeles press conference. If that happens, you have to assume that Tank is intentionally coming late to be an annoyance.
It’s true in a way that Ryan talked his way into the fight with the 28-year-old Gervonta, but when you have 9 million Instagram followers, that puts you at the head of the class in boxing. With that kind of popularity, Ryan doesn’t need to earn the fight the hard way like normal fighters because his popularity outside of the ring is enough.
It’s great that we’re seeing Ryan and Tank fighting while they were in their prime rather than when the two are in their mid-3os and over the hill, as we saw with the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Manny Pacquiao fight in 2015.
Boxing fans have been asking for the Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight for two years, but Tank’s former promoters at Mayweather Promotions held off for some reason. Now that Tank is no longer with them, he’s finally fighting Ryan, and it should be a massive fight.
Ryan Garcia had to agree to stipulations
“We came together and conquered the poison that’s been stopping boxing from having the biggest fights,” said Ryan Garcia on Wednesday during the kickoff press conference in New York City with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. “To be a champion, you have to beat the best.
“During this whole journey, I definitely put boxing first, and the fans first because I had to accept a lot of stipulations. They know it. Going down in weight, rehydration clause. I don’t want to bring up too much.
“I don’t look like I hit hard, but I do hit hard. The punches come quick, but when they hit you, you just down.”
“We settle it in the ring; whoever wins holds the crown. Let’s get it,” said Ryan Garcia.