By: Sean Crose
Mayweather Promotions’ CEO Leonard Ellerbe responded to Oscar De La Hoya’s recent interview with FightHype where the Golden Boy claimed Gervonta “Tank” Davis, a potential uber-opponent for De La Hoya’s protégé, Ryan Garcia is not a significant pay per view attraction. “Gervonta Davis can get on pay per view but it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s selling hundreds and hundreds of thousands of homes,” De La Hoya said. “I’ve seen the numbers. I know what they are I know that they’re not past 100,000. I know that for a fact.”
Suffice to say, Ellerbe, the man who runs the promotional outlet that represents Davis, was not impressed. “Tank has done substantially more than 100k buys in EVERY one of his PPV fights,” he tweeted. “Oscar is trying to do everything he can to NOT make a fight and it’s time to expose the facts. This is a terrible look for Ryan and his promoter.” De La Hoya has essentially argued that both Davis and Garcia are equal attractions, an assertion Ellerbe disagrees with, to say the least.
“Oscar’s assertion that Tank and Ryan are equal is all bullshit and anyone who can add knows that,” Ellerbe tweeted. “In Ryan’s last fight at the live gate he grossed $1.126,155.00 and in that same bldg Tank grossed $3.525,855.00. That’s less than a 3rd, how is that equal?” Although it’s clear Ellerbe has issues with De La Hoya, he made it a point to assert his belief that Garcia himself wants to get in the ring with Davis.
“Ryan says he wants to fight Tank,” Ellerbe claimed, “he’s told everybody that and I believe him. He needs to get his promoter in line ASAP, this is a terrible look for him!!” Ellerbe went on to suggest the media should get involved with the matter. “We are going to see if the all the media, call him (De La Hoya) on the bullshit. Not hard to make a deal if you are really trying to make a deal for a big fight.”
Fans, of course, would love to see a fight between Davis and Garcia be made. Both men are colorful, popular, and exceedingly talented. They’re also both exciting to watch and possess undefeated records. Although world titlist Davis would (or should) be the favorite walking in, the less experienced Garcia is anything but a slouch. Like Davis, he hits like artillery. Each man, simply put, is young and knows how to turn off the lights.