By: Hans Themistode
At just 24 years of age, Gervonta Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) is the youngest champion in the sport of boxing.
He has the look, skillset and charisma of a fighter who will be great for years to come. His July 27th, title defense of his WBA Super Featherweight world title will take place in Davis hometown of Baltimore. Why is this significant?
This will be the first championship bout to take place in Baltimore in almost 80 years. 79 to be exact, as the last Baltimore born fighter to defend his title at home was Featherweight champion Harry Jeffra in 1940 as he defeated Spider Armstrong. Mandatory challenger Ricardo Nunez (21-2, 19 KOs) will have the improbable task of defeating Davis in front of his screaming fans.
Davis, who first turned professional in 2013, has never fought in Baltimore before. With now six years of professional boxing under his belt, it seemed like the right call for Davis to perform in front of his hometown crowd.
“I believe it’s time for me to fight in front of my hometown and thank them for supporting me,” Davis said. “I never thought a fight in Baltimore would be this big. It gives me chills, but I’m ready for it. It’s a big test. I’ve been gone for so long and coming home feels amazing.”
Baltimore, has been the home to numerous world title holders such as, Dwight Qawi, Hasim Rahman and Vincent Pettway. It is these fighters that have helped paved the way for Davis. He is not oblivious to this fact and understands that he too must help continue the legacy that Baltimore has become known for.
“These guys from the past really motivate me, and I give much respect to the guys before me and the ones after me,” Davis said. “But right now I’m laying the foundation to make history. It’s the people that I see every day in Baltimore that motivate me. I can’t think about anybody that was in the past or the future. We are all worried about what’s in front of us right now.”