Who is Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis?

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is a professional boxer from Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He competes in the lightweight division. Known as “Tank” due to his stocky build and phenomenal punching power, Davis has also boxed in the super featherweight and light welterweight divisions. During his campaign at super featherweight, Davis captured a world title. His current record stands at 29 wins and no defeats. 27 of his victories have come by knockout.

The heavy-handed southpaw, born on November 7, 1994, is one of the biggest stars in the sport. He is widely regarded as one of the best boxers operating in the sport today. Perhaps Davis’ boxing fundamentals are overlooked due to his power and impressive KO record. Make no mistake about it, Davis is much more than just a big puncher. He is a talented ring tactician who can maneuver opponents into his knockout wheelhouse.

Getting Started and Building His Reputation

Davis has been boxing since he was a young child. Calvin Ford trains him and has worked out of Upton Boxing Center in his home city since he started boxing at the age of five. Davis enjoyed a successful run in amateur boxing, winning many national amateur titles and boxing over 200 bouts.

Davis moved to professional boxing in 2013 and won his first eight bouts by stoppage. His ninth opponent, German Meraz, heard the final bell in their six-round bout in 2014. Since then, Davis put together a 16-fight stoppage streak until Isaac Cruz took him the distance in 2021.

Beating Established Opposition, Winning Belts, and Becoming a PPV Attraction

As he moved up the rankings, the quality of Tank’s opponents increased. Davis’ 17th professional contest presented him with the opportunity to become a world champion. 22-0 Jose Pedraza was in the opposing corner. Davis stopped Pedraza in round 7 of the contest, taking his unbeaten record and super featherweight title.

Davis defended that title against Liam Walsh and Francisco Fonseca before he added another super featherweight world title to his trophy cabinet by beating Jesus Cuellar via early stoppage in April 2018. Davis moved up to lightweight and added a secondary title at 135 pounds before he dropped back to super featherweight to face Leo Santa Cruz in October 2020. This would be the first bout Davis would have as a pay-per-view headliner. The clash, which Davis won by knockout in the 6th round, was purchased by around 225,000 households in America.

Now A Big Box Office Draw

Since his PPV debut against Santa Cruz, Davis has headlined four promotions that came with a price tag for those who wanted to watch on TV. All of these promotions sold well. Davis continued to enhance his reputation in the ring and build his fanbase by winning all the encounters by knockout.

In April 2023, Tank faced off against another marketable star, Ryan Garcia, in Las Vegas. The pair combined to sell over 1.2 million PPVs in America, and Davis thrilled his fans by stopping his rival with a powerful 7th-round body shot. The numbers underlined the loyalty of Tank’s fanbase. The win confirmed to the world just how talented a fighter he is. With Davis now fully established in the lightweight division, some mouth-watering matches with a number of potential rivals will hopefully come to fruition soon.

Colin Morrison

A boxing fan since his teenage years, Morrison began writing about the sport in July 2016. He appreciates all styles of boxing and has nothing but respect for those who get in the ring for our entertainment. Morrison is from Scotland and can be found on Twitter @Morrie1981.

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