By Matt Lieberman: Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe predicts a stoppage win for Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis over Ryan Garcia this Saturday. Ellerbe feels that with a win over the popular King Ryan (23-0, 19 KOs), Tank (28-0, 26 KOs) will become the “face of boxing.”
It might take more than victory over the still-green 24-year-old Ryan for Tank to become the top guy in the sport because, after all, three are a lot more young killers in the 135 & 140-lb divisions that he would need to prove himself against before he can achieve the ‘Face of Boxing’ label.
What fans don’t want is for Gervonta to rest on his laurels after a win over Ryan and avoid Shakur Stevenson, Devin Haney, Frank Martin, and Vasily Lomachenko.
“This fight is the biggest one in boxing, and the fans are winners,” said Leonard Ellerbe at today’s grand arrivals for the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight on Saturday.
“This is the biggest fight of his career, and Ryan is a terrific opponent, and he’s going to bring out the best in Tank,” continued Ellerbe. “This was the best camp that he’s had thus far, and his focus is right on point from the very start of camp to coming to fight week, tapering things off.
“He’s ready to go for Saturday. Of course, it does. This is a dream come true for him to headline in a main event in a mega-fight in Las Vegas. It gets no bigger than that. We’ve seen all the big fights in Las Vegas, and again, this Saturday night is huge.
“This is what it’s all about. You’ve got two undefeated guys in their prime. That’s important, in their prime. The fans have been clamoring for these two to get in the ring. This Saturday night, the fans are going to get exactly what they want.
“It is surreal. I can recall two years ago when Floyd was fighting Logan Paul in Miami, and I had this conversation with him, and I told him, ‘We’re going to make this fight, and it’s going to come down to you signing on that dotted line, and you’re going to have to do what you got to do to make it happen. It’s going to become a reality sooner than you think,’ and here we are two years later in the biggest fight of all of boxing.
“Of course, because that’s what happens when you have two young elite fighters, and they’re in their prime. Both of them are going to bring out the best in each other, and I think the fans are going to be the winners because, from the opening bell, I think we’re going to see these guys go at it.
“It’s everything because those two have brought a younger audience to the sport. Therefore, both of them have a huge following, and with that being said, if you look at this younger generation. They’ve inspired this whole generation of guys they can do the same things and possibly one day reach this kind of level.
“So it’s great for these younger fighters and the younger generation of fans. When Ryan gets knocked out on Saturday, he will have lost to the best. There’s nothing wrong with that. He’ll be able to come back from this loss, and my thing is, I don’t want either guy to get hurt where they can’t go home and see their family.
“It’s going to be a terrific fight, though. It’s everything. So when Tank knocks him out on Saturday night, it automatically elevates him. He’s going to become the face of boxing, and, again, line these guys up, and he’s going to do what he’s got to do.
“This is what it’s all about. This is just the first step of being the best. He’s got a terrific guy in front of him on Saturday night, and again, like you mentioned earlier, both of these guys are going to bring out the best in each other. I’m just static.
“I’ve never seen him this focused before, but Ryan Garcia warrants that because he knows what Ryan Garcia brings to the table. Like I said, he’s young, he’s an elite fighter, and he’s going to push him from the opening bell. That’s why he’s had a great camp, and he’s really prepared.
“I can’t wait until Saturday night. This sets the tone, and again, it’s the timing of it. That’s the key. It’s the timing of these guys coming together, and they’re on the big stage, and it goes no bigger than this in being here in Las Vegas,” said Ellerbe.
