Roy Jones Jr. thinks Gervonta 'Tank' Davis is the best lightweight boxer around, even better than Shakur Stevenson. The former four-weight world champion shared his opinion recently, praising Davis for his all-around skills.
Davis and Stevenson are both undefeated and have won 52 fights between them. They're seen as the top dogs in the lightweight division, with each holding a world title.
'Tank' Davis currently has the WBA lightweight belt. He's getting ready to defend it against Lamont Roach on March 1 at the Barclays Center in New York City. The fight was originally set for earlier but got pushed back to this new date.
On the other side, Stevenson grabbed the WBC lightweight title in November 2023 when he outpointed Edwin De Los Santos. He's already defended it once, beating Artem Harutyunyan in July 2023. The 27-year-old from Newark is now gearing up for his next defense against Floyd Schofield on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
But it's Davis who gets the nod from Jones Jr. The boxing legend turned analyst explained his choice in a recent interview:
"I'll tell you why he's the best fighter to me. He can punch, but he also can box. Some that can box can't punch, some that can punch can't box. He can box, he can punch, he can move laterally, he can move left side, right side, he can do whatever he needs to do as a southpaw to get the job done. That's saying a lot as not many guys can do that today."
Jones Jr. pointed out that Davis has a rare mix of skills. He can hit hard, but he's also got slick boxing moves. He can shift from side to side and use his southpaw stance in different ways. This versatility, according to Jones Jr., sets Davis apart from other fighters today.
With both Davis and Stevenson at the top of their game, fans are hoping to see them face off soon. It would be a big deal in the lightweight division, with two unbeaten champs going head-to-head. For now, though, they're focused on their upcoming fights, each looking to prove they're the best in the weight class.
