Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs Frank Martin: Preview & Prediction

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis returns to the ring for the first time in 2024 when he defends the WBA 135-pound world title against Frank Martin in an all-southpaw showdown. The pair of unbeaten titans square off Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, while former two-time super middleweight world champion David Benavidez takes on former titlist Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the co-main event in his first fight as a light heavyweight.

Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) held the WBA’s secondary version of its lightweight title but was elevated after undisputed champion Devin Haney vacated his four titles to move up to 140 pounds last year, making Davis-Martin an official world title fight. The fight, which will be streamed on Prime Video pay-per-view in the U.S. (PPV.com is also an option in the U.S. & Canada) and the UK, will be Davis’ first fight in 14 months when he stopped Ryan Garcia inside seven rounds at the T-Mobile Arena. The bout generated over 1 million PPV buys and over $22 million in gate receipts.

A Look At The Lead Up To Davis vs. Martin

The 29-year-old has been sidelined since his career-best win due to legal issues. Davis pled guilty in May to four offenses: leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury, failing to notify of property damage, driving with a revoked license, and running a red light. It all stems from a November 2020 crash that injured four people, including a pregnant woman. He was sentenced to 90 days of home detention at the home of his trainer, Calvin Ford.

However, a judge ruled that Davis violated the terms of his house arrest after he moved to a luxury hotel followed by a new home without her permission. As a result, Davis was ordered to spend the remainder of his sentence (44 days) at a detention center. With those issues behind him, he’s ready to take on Martin, who fights for a world title for the first time in his career.

The 29-year-old Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) is also coming off a long layoff. He last fought 11 months ago, defeating Artem Harutyunyan over 12 rounds at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Martin was in negotiations to face Shakur Stevenson but turned down a career-high seven-figure payday. After much criticism, Martin is in a much bigger but riskier fight against Davis, who has also held a title at 130 pounds and owns wins over Jose Pedraza, Leo Santa Cruz, Mario Barrios, and Rolly Romero.

Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin Prediction

Say what you want about Davis and his past legal issues; that will not matter once these two enter the ring. When punches are being thrown, the last thing on Martin’s mind is a court case. Simply put, Davis is a damn good fighter with generational power. Martin is a solid boxer with little experience in these big-pressure moments. This will undoubtedly play a factor. Furthermore, Martin doesn’t typically throw a lot of punches. That will also be to his detriment.

If you back a rattlesnake into a corner, he will look to hit you where you don’t see it coming. Tank is a predator and is elite at setting traps. As good as Martin is, he lacks the experience and the skill set to beat Davis. It could take Tank a few rounds to get the cobwebs out, but once things heat up, it’s only a matter of time. I’ll take Davis with the eighth-round TKO. Get your money.

Ryan O'Hara

Ryan O’Hara is an award-winning sportswriter based in Denver, Colorado. The 30-year-old has been recognized by the Boxing Writers Association of America three times for his accomplishments, with a best finish of 2nd at the 2022 awards ceremony.

See author's posts