Gervonta Davis was not on time for his Tuesday press conference in Brooklyn, to hype his March 1 fight versus Lamont Roach at Barclays Center, so there was a bit of grumbling on in the press rows, where videographers and a couple writers chilled while the A side made his way to the building.
Me, I didn’t get bent out of shape, but I get the grumbling. Time is money everywhere, when you are on adult, the meter starts running the minute you leave the house…so some folks were irked that they’d already moved their schedules accordingly when the presser got moved from 1 PM to 4 PM, the morning of the session.
I live 2 miles from the arena, so I took the bus over, one of so many times I have done since 2012, when boxing started unfolding at the then new arena. I wasn’t in a grumbling mode, I repeat, as I am resigned to many things in life, topmost being that things aren’t going to go as planned much of the time, so it’s wise to know that, to aid in adapting when necessary. I fake it at times, ideally aiming at bemused, rather than in contempt or mournfully, at time passed flippantly.
Stars Know The Value of Making Them Wait
Hopefully I wasn’t being a know it all OG when I shared with a couple other media persons that I kinda get the lefty Tank (30-0, 28 KOs) being late. There used to more so be a thing, about big stars being late to things, because there is an implication they are not beholden to time like lessers. Mayweather used to be late…assuming Liz Taylor was not prompt, she and Richard Burton would saunter in when they chose to, f*ck you very much.
There was some light bonding in press rows, I am pleased to report, as it has been a stranger trip than usual the last ten and especially five or so years, for me, and much of the world. Right? Interesting times these are, and of course, that goes for the world of boxing, big picture.
As I waited for Davis to appear, I looked around the room. There were faces I hadn’t seen in five years. Most people looked the same, or even fitter, nozempic. PBC ran this event, with promoter of record Tom Brown, and with ex Showtime boss Stephen Espinoza helping steer, while number cruncher/deal smoother Bruce Binkow oversaw this “press conference” with the structure provided by Swanson Communications.
Is He In Or Near The Building?
I heard someone say that they saw Tank’s manager had IG’d that Gervonta had landed at “the airport” and was like 15 minutes away. That perked my ears up, so I asked who that manager might be, and the answerer told me the name. I thanked him and looked at my phone clock.
Before 5 PM, reward time. Tank now in the building—one problem, though.
The arena blocked off area for the talent to move, but that closed off access to restrooms. So media were rebuffed for a couple hours when they went to relieve themselves. Still, no grumbling from me–not publicly– I took the advice to go to Chick Fil-A or Stop n Shop and decided to wait it out, and piss when I got back to my place. I don’t need subtle reminders of the slippage of “journalism” and “media,” I see it when I note to self than 95% of the people “covering” this are entrepreneurs, bells all their souls.
Gervonta Davis In The House/Talks Retirement
Tank’s interaction with foe Roach (age 29; 25-1-1, last fought June 2024, beat Feargal McCrory via TKO 8) didn’t disappoint. The Baltimore boxer has a super soft voice mostly in these situations, so you have to be quiet, and pay attention to hear what he says. Perhaps the one single thing he said at Barclays was that he felt like he’d been doing this a long time, and 2025 would be his last year in boxing. “2025 is…next year..I’m out of it,” he said. “Out of the sport,” he said, when emcee Miguel Flores asked him to flesh out that thinking.
The soft assertion was not met with murmurs, let’s be honest. Most of us there know that talk of stopping is not a rarity these days, and often it is used as a negotiation tactics rather than as a signal of lessening desire and a true desire to hit the career finish line, and opt out, before you feel like Sunny Edwards in there. But..it got me thinking about what might Tank do after his Roach test. Loma? That ball is in the Ukrainian’s court, so we shall see.
Other Tidbits
Tank predicted he would knock out Roach in round nine. “Uh…I say ninth round.” Roach answered nah, he has power late. Roach started as a pro in 2014, Tank in 2013, for the record. Tank told Roach not to let his kid come see the fight. He later amended it, and suggested the missus not attend, because of the whuppin Lamont would be taking. Roach said all fam will be invited to BK to see their guy ply the trade with aplomb. Gervonta says that back in the day, when they were teens, he beat Roach. Will do the same March 1, he stated. Roach said the scorecards back then were off, for the record.
Roach came off as not awed by the stage or stakes. He seems confident he can prevail March 1 to me. Tank said he digs coming to Brooklyn and that the building had a strong vibe when he took out Rolly Romero in May 2022. Since then, he beat Hector Luis Garcia in DC, stopped Ryan Garcia in Vegas, and again went to Vegas to take care of Frank Martin in his last outing, June of 2024.
Summing Up
Props to Tank, it’s not to suggest, either, that he comes to these things late, as divas are to do. He put in his time and showed professional calm during a scrum session from the reporters/content makers, doing more chatting after the presser ended. It was by now dark, had been for two hours.
OK, time for me to jet. Bladder is merely alerting me of its level, no urgency to the point I needed to hit the Chic Fil-A. I am thinking about this whole day, and that yeah, Tank is a star. We wait for stars. The anticipation is the best part, unless you gotta piss.
Tank is the gen’s Tyson, no faint praise. TMZ shows up for Tank.
I’m slipping here, roles are blurring. There’s me, “reporter,” me as a fan, me as a watcher of ALL OF IT from a space, trying to figure it out. I’m thinking of the changes in the game the last couple years, as I’m headed to the cold outside air, to catch the No 63 bus which goes up Fifth Ave, to 12th St. Trying to remember what year ex Showtime now PBC consultant Stephen Espinoza came heavy on the scene, because I’d just chatted him up for ten minutes about that “retirement news” from Tank, if Tank v Loma might be next, etc.
My mood was high as I hustled to the bus stop. Damn, OK, the Spanish joint near Barclays is holding the line, pernil plate going for ten bucks. Cool, I will hit that place again soon, I hope. But I want to hustle home and work up a story for Abe. Maybe he will want a separate piece on the chat with Espinoza?
Bus is coming.
I will scan my phone and be charged $2.90 for the ride up the 12th St. Technology! Thoughts will be of the girls, how they’ve fared making themselves dinner while their mom is off at work. They won’t be irked at me for running late, because this press conference ran late, or whatever. They know the drill, sometimes, like Tank, I’m late.
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