Gervonta Davis is the self-proclaimed face of boxing, having already lit up the biggest stage.
“Tank” became a huge pay-per-view boxing star, having turned professional under the watchful eye of sporting legend Floyd Mayweather in February 2013.
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Since then, his journey has been a roller coaster ride, but he has cemented his status as a leader in boxing.
Davis’ most famous victory came against bitter rival Ryan Garcia in April 2023 in one of the most watched fights in recent years, which eclipsed his previous achievements.
Previously, Davis rode a sensational 16-fight winning streak before landing his first title shot, when he stopped Jose Pedraza to win the IBF super featherweight title in January 2017.
But it was later that year that he lit up the ring on one of the biggest platforms possible, on the undercard of mentor Mayweather’s famous showdown with Conor McGregor.
It was by no means an easy night for Davis, who missed weight for the clash, thus giving up his IBF title on the scales.
And his fight night wasn’t easy either as he struggled to overcome resilient rival Franscisco Fonseca.
But in the eighth stanza, Davis delivered a clean barrage that allowed him to close the show as the referee stopped the fight.
Davis was far from vintage and his team explained that he wasn’t 100 percent that night.
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Despite the display, it was enough to send his name into the stratosphere given the scale of the £130 million event he found himself in.
Mayweather followed in his apprentice’s footsteps, defeating his Irish rival in his final fight before retirement.
The fight saw 4.3 million pay-per-view units sold, putting it second only to Money’s showdown with Manny Pacquiao in May 2015, which sold nearly 5 million.
Davis went on to win the WBA belt in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions reaching 28 wins with a few notable knockouts.
The champion was widely believed to be one of the most entertaining fighters of the current generation, and his rise has not stopped.
His brash antics and Mayweather’s PR machine saw him become a star and Davis was called out by some of the biggest names in the sport, including Garcia.
After months of social media chatter and verbal abuse, the fight took place in what appeared to be a huge crossroads moment in both stars’ careers.
The fight attracted unprecedented interest and ultimately came to fruition, with Davis and Garcia finally fighting.
Both fighters knew they had to deliver under the brightest lights, and despite splitting with Mayweather a year prior, Davis did just that.
The 135-pound star did what he does best and unleashed a powerful body shot that hit the liver of his resentful rival.
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Garcia simply couldn’t get air into his lungs and collapsed to his knees, trying to recover as the referee counted ten.
But ultimately the proceedings were stopped and it was a record-breaking and seismic victory for Davis’ boxing career.
After the fight, which was seen by millions of fans around the world, Davis took the microphone and made a bold statement.
He said: “Everything about this case was exciting. I was delighted to be part of this event. I remember wearing the Golden Gloves and seeing Floyd (Mayweather) fight at MGM.
“The reality definitely matches the dream. But the work is never done until I retire, so I’m going to keep my head down, stay humble and keep working.
“Predicting the seventh-round knockout, I was just trying to get my head around it.
“I’m definitely the face of boxing. Absolutely-fucking-lutely!
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And it was hard to dispute that claim, as the packed house and viewing figures suggested.
Of course, the clamor continues for the heavyweight division and the boxing boom in Saudi Arabia.
But it’s an exciting future that awaits Davis as he next faces Frank Martin, a man with whom he had an infamous encounter during a training session.
There are still some huge matchups with big names, including against Devin Haney, Vasyl Lomachenko and a follow-up with “King Ry.”
But his reputation continues to grow, and he even hopes to match half of the financial and professional achievements as “Money” Mayweather.
He certainly knows how to put on a show and turn out his opponent’s lights.
