By: Hans Themistode
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And for WBA super lightweight champion Gervonta Davis, he’s proven that his method of winning is picture perfect.
Facing Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) inside of the ring normally ends with a trip to the emergency room for his opponents. The Baltimore native and two division world champion is set to take on the toughest test of his career, at least on paper, in Leo Santa Cruz on October 24th on pay-per-view.
Unlike his previous opponents, Davis doesn’t seem interested in leaving him strapped to a stretcher following their contest. He’s already proven to have the sort of deleterious power that you simply can’t teach. So instead, he plans on introducing the world to the rest of his repertoire.
“I’m not trying to knock him out or things like that,” said Davis to Mike Coppinger of The Athletic. “I’m not definitely not going for the knockout, I’m going definitely trying to show the fans that I can box. So I am ready for this fight to show them that I can do both.”
For Davis, the book on his skillset has seemingly been rudimentary written by fans. See opponent, hit opponent and watch opponent fall down.
Although he can never get tired of the constant replays of his one punch knockouts, the term one trick pony comes to mind. Something that Davis vehemently wants to steer away from.
“I’m not just a banger, I’m a boxer puncher, that’s who I am. People who have been in the gym with me know that but the world doesn’t know that yet.”
Whether the fight ends with an ambulance escorting his opponent from the ring, or a lopsided decision victory on the judges scorecards, the win counts the same. A victory over Leo Santa Cruz will become a serious feather in the cap of Davis, regardless of the route to victory.
“It would be big. He’s coming to fight, that guy is coming to fight. Just beating him period would be an accomplishment.”