Gervonta Davis is Starting to Really Grind My Gears

I guess we'll have to disagree, for me a 22yr old fighter is allowed to take an educational fight or two despite holding a belt. He's got a long way to go before he turns into a BJS or Wilder. For example, it looks like Parker is taking a pretty decent mandatory fight against Hughie Fury next. If he had opted to get an easy educational fight in beforehand without dropping the belt, I wouldn't have a problem with that either. If Davis stalls for over a year without anyone decent (which could happen I'll admit), criticize him then for sure ... but for now criticism is best reserved for the people who are truly holding a belt hostage.

Also, you have to look at it from his perspective. If Davis opted to drop the belt, not only would he lose the chance to earn $$$$, he'd be ridiculed by the fans mercilessly in this day and age.

 

Exactly.

 

But if the guys in the top 8 aren't available, due to prior commitments or promotional disputes, then you have to look at other options. For a first defense, a multi-division titleholder like Gonzalez is hardly the worst opponent to face. I'd still favor even a faded Gonzalez over any of the guys that Lomachenko defended against at 126lbs, for example. If that's Davis's basement from this point forward, then he's doing pretty well.

 

Hearns's first title defense was against a wholly unproven Luis Primera. Morales's first defense was against a rather unheralded John Lowey (best known for losing to Kennedy McKinney), and Morales only faced Barrera after 8 successful title defenses. Duran's first title defense was against a fringe contender named Jimmy Robertson, who had lost three of his last four going into that fight. Even the best fighters take gimmes from time to time.

 

Gannicus never got the message about fighting beast too soon, which is why his man crush, Vasyl Lomachenko, has a 1 next to his 6 and a BIG RED L on boxrec.com. Arum tried to throw him in the pit because he asked for it and he could not hang.
He bounced back fought a few nobodies got a belt and look at him now.

 

Gonzalez beats any of the guys Loma defended against, more than likely (Piryapinyo, Koasicha and Rodriguez as a quick reminder). He's also got a boat-load of experience and several world titles. As far as gimme title defenses, you could do worse.

Again, Miura and Berchelt are slated to face one another. Loma and Sosa are in talks to unify. Gamboa is marking time with Golden Boy, and Salido's been inactive. All of those fighters are affiliated with rival promotions, so making those fights won't be easy right now. In the interim, if he faces Gonzalez as his gimme, his mandatory and then someone worthwhile within the next 12 months or so, I won't have too much of an issue with that. At the very least, he'll be active.

 

Thing is, right now Sosa stands to make more from a showdown with Loma than he would against a much-less well known Davis. Gervonta may be a more winnable match-up, but the risk of getting beaten (perhaps badly) for less money probably isn't as great as losing badly for more money to someone considered to be one of premier fighters in the sport.

But, either way, we'll see what happens with Davis. He's only held the crown for a nanosecond, really. Let's give him time to see what he does with it.

 

I agree with this. He's really young and needs some more fights under his resume before taking on the best opposition on a fight by fight basis. That being said, I don't want to see him fighting guys outside of the top 10 regularly. He needs to take on good level competition with different types of styles so that he can continue to accrue more valuable pro experience.

 

All respect due, you need to shut up friend. Gervonta knocked a dude who had never been KD, the f!tck out.

When you toss up things insulting a dude while comparing him to brehs who are half his skill, you get sideye'd all day every day.

 

Lol did Lomachenko have some untelevised fights between the Salido and GRJ fight?