Gervonta Davis has thrown down the gauntlet to Shakur Stevenson, questioning the three-weight world champion's ability to handle powerful punches. This challenge adds fuel to what's considered one of the most interesting style clashes in boxing.
Stevenson, at 27, holds the WBC lightweight belt and has made a name for himself with his skillful, defensive style. He sticks to the 'hit and don't get hit' philosophy, which has led him to titles in three weight classes. But his recent performances have drawn some criticism for being less exciting for fans. His last two fights, while convincing wins, didn't quite light up the crowd as expected.
On the other side of the ring, we have 'Tank' Davis from Baltimore. With a perfect record of 30 wins, 28 by knockout, Davis has built a reputation as an exciting, powerful puncher. He holds the WBA title and often uses a strategy of weathering early rounds before unleashing his knockout power.
Davis didn't pull any punches when he spoke about Stevenson on the Morning Kombat show. He questioned Stevenson's power, saying:
"He didn't even have power at 126 or 130 or none of that."
But Davis's main challenge to Stevenson was about taking hits. He said:
"Okay, all that stuff is okay. How can you stop people that can actually hit? No matter all that boxing, you're going to get hit."
Davis's key question for Stevenson was straightforward: "What are you going to do when you get hit?"
A fight between these two seemed closer than ever before when Vasiliy Lomachenko pulled out of negotiations to face Davis. But for now, Stevenson is set to face former super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina, while Davis doesn't have a fight lined up yet.
As the boxing world waits to see if this match-up will happen, the contrast in styles between the skilled defender and the powerful puncher continues to spark interest and debate among fans and experts alike.
