Tank Davis' Camp Doubts Lomachenko Intentions

Gervonta Davis' coaching team has thrown cold water on the prospect of Vasiliy Lomachenko making good on his stated intention to target Tank for his comeback.

With Lomachenko linked to a return fight against Emanuel Navarrete followed by Davis at lightweight, trainer Calvin Ellis has made clear he does not believe the Ukrainian will ultimately choose the most dangerous option available to him: "Tank will be the last one he picks. He is the most dangerous one. He is going to go with less punishment."

Ellis believes Lomachenko's team will steer toward a safer path when the time comes to make a decision, regardless of what has been said publicly. Ellis also acknowledged the financial dimension of the matchup, which complicates the scepticism: "That is the biggest payday. It wouldn't surprise me — but does he really want the fight, or does he want it for the money?.”

Davis and Lomachenko were in genuine negotiations in 2024 before Lomachenko retired following his IBF lightweight title win over George Kambosos Jr. A chronic back injury was reported to have derailed talks at a critical point, and the fight never happened. With Lomachenko now returning and Davis targeting his own comeback in the fall, the conditions for the fight to happen exist in a way they did not before.

Will It Happen?

Whether Lomachenko's team acts on the stated intention or pivots toward a more manageable opponent is the question Ellis is raising — and it is not an unreasonable one. However, reports suggest Loma wants the best.

"He’s only targeting big names. He doesn’t want to fight any tune-ups, and that’s no surprise. For a guy like Lomachenko, he fought for a title in his second pro fight. He beat Gary Russell Jr., he destroyed him in his third fight,” Mike Coppinger