Tank Davis Ducks Haney To Face Frank Martin – ‘Tank Fights Tomato Cans’
Gervonta Davis will headline against Frank Martin on a PBC Amazon Prime Video pay-per-view in the summer.
That is according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger. Davis has not fought since his seventh-round knockout victory over Ryan Garcia last year. After the win, Davis was apprehended by authorities for breaking the terms of his house arrest in relation to a hit-and-run incident.
That meant the boxer was required to do the remainder of his house arrest behind bars. He also saw his trainer, Calvin Ford, being apprehended by authorities for assault with a deadly weapon. That was also accompanied by Showtime’s departure from boxing, leaving Tank Davis without an opponent for some time.
Now that PBC has signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video, Davis will headline against an undefeated fighter. He will defend his WBA Lightweight Title after being elevated to a full champion once Devin Haney vacated all his belts at 135 pounds and moved up to 140.
Martin is an undefeated fighter who also fights with PBC. The southpaw turned down the opportunity to fight Shakur Stevenson for the then-vacant WBC Lightweight Title. Now, he has the chance to secure his first title. If Davis does fight at 135 pounds, then it suggests that he will not be moving up to 140 anytime soon to secure a fight with Devin Haney. But if the bout is at 140 pounds, then there is a suggestion that boxing fans could finally see that mega-clash.
Davis vs. Martin
“Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin have agreed to a deal for a PBC PPV fight in late spring/early summer for Tank’s WBA lightweight title, sources tell ESPN. Davis’ legal trouble sidelined him the second half of last year, but now he’s back vs. a legitimate top 10 lightweight. And for Martin, it’s the sort of big fight he was looking for after he passed up the Shakur Stevenson opportunity in the fall. Tank and Martin both undefeated, and both are athletic punchers. Of course, Davis one of the biggest stars in boxing,” Mike Coppinger said
The decision to fight Martin suggests that Davis has no intention of unifying the division anytime soon. He could have easily faced Stevenson for the chance to win the WBC title and then set up a potential undisputed fight.
Davis’ Legacy
By unifying the division, he could have targeted the winner on George Kambosos Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, who will fight for the vacant IBF Lightweight Title in May. The WBO has also ordered a bout between Emanuel Navarrete and Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO belt.
But this latest move suggests that Davis is more intent on securing the highest purses for minimal risk. This is understandable since he is the sport’s cash cow, meaning he has significant leverage when choosing his opponents.
Martin, however, has the chance to upset the applecart by earning a big payday and securing a world title, which would then put him in a position to call the shots. Nevertheless, there are only so many times Davis can avoid the inevitable.
Unless he moves up to 140 pounds to secure the big fights against Haney, Teofimo Lopez or Subriel Matias, there will always be question marks over his legacy. But given that he is earning big purses, this is unlikely to change unless boxing fans retaliate by not tuning in.
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