Category: Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia

Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia evidently were told to rachet up the hostility.

The rivals met on Thursday for the second of two news conferences to promote their April 22 pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas. And they spent a lot of time sniping at one another during the formal portion of the event.

They touched on a lot of subjects but the overriding theme was Davis’ perception that Garcia is a fighter who relies almost exclusively on his potent left hook to win fights.

Davis initiated a back-and-forth exchange while he was sitting on one side of a dais and Garcia was making his opening comments at a lectern at The Bevely Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

“You like to fight guys who don’t hit hard,” Garcia said while he looked at Davis. “Guess what? I do hit hard. And when I hit you with that left hook …”

“What else?” Davis interrupted.

“What else? Watch when I hit you with it. You’ll be on the floor, sleeping, good night,” Garcia responded.

“What else?” Davis asked again.

“What else? You’re going to wake up in the hospital,” Garcia said.

Then Davis got specific.

“You’re not a complete fighter,” he said. “You’re not a complete fighter. You don’t go no footwork, you don’t got no IQ, you don’t got nothing, bro. You have a left hook. That’s all.”

The theme continued when the fighters were asked questions following their initial comments.

Davis had said during the first news conference Wednesday in New York City that he is more skillful than Garcia, a one-time amateur star who has built a reputation as one of the biggest punchers in the sport as a professional.

Davis was asked again whether Garcia boxes as well as he does.

“No,” he said. “All they talk about is that left hook. One punch. That’s it. When you’re a complete fighter, you can do everything. You can’t just depend on one punch. What happens when that punch don’t work?

“You have to rely on something else. C’mon, bro.”

Garcia responded, “I’m just going to let him think what he thinks. If he thinks all I have is a left hook, I’ll keep letting him believe it. It’s all on him. When he gets hit with other shorts, then he’s going to confused.

“It doesn’t really matter. He sounds dumb right now. If he’s watched by fights, he understands I have other punches.”

The fighters continued war of words for a while until Garcia finally stated the obvious: A special left hook can take you a long way.

“The left hook is a blessing from God,” he said. “… Maybe all I need is the left hook, maybe that’s all it will take. Thank you, God.”

[lawrence-related id=36077,35838]

Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia evidently were told to rachet up the hostility.

The rivals met on Thursday for the second of two news conferences to promote their April 22 pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas. And they spent a lot of time sniping at one another during the formal portion of the event.

They touched on a lot of subjects but the overriding theme was Davis’ perception that Garcia is a fighter who relies almost exclusively on his potent left hook to win fights.

Davis initiated a back-and-forth exchange while he was sitting on one side of a dais and Garcia was making his opening comments at a lectern at The Bevely Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

“You like to fight guys who don’t hit hard,” Garcia said while he looked at Davis. “Guess what? I do hit hard. And when I hit you with that left hook …”

“What else?” Davis interrupted.

“What else? Watch when I hit you with it. You’ll be on the floor, sleeping, good night,” Garcia responded.

“What else?” Davis asked again.

“What else? You’re going to wake up in the hospital,” Garcia said.

Then Davis got specific.

“You’re not a complete fighter,” he said. “You’re not a complete fighter. You don’t go no footwork, you don’t got no IQ, you don’t got nothing, bro. You have a left hook. That’s all.”

The theme continued when the fighters were asked questions following their initial comments.

Davis had said during the first news conference Wednesday in New York City that he is more skillful than Garcia, a one-time amateur star who has built a reputation as one of the biggest punchers in the sport as a professional.

Davis was asked again whether Garcia boxes as well as he does.

“No,” he said. “All they talk about is that left hook. One punch. That’s it. When you’re a complete fighter, you can do everything. You can’t just depend on one punch. What happens when that punch don’t work?

“You have to rely on something else. C’mon, bro.”

Garcia responded, “I’m just going to let him think what he thinks. If he thinks all I have is a left hook, I’ll keep letting him believe it. It’s all on him. When he gets hit with other shorts, then he’s going to confused.

“It doesn’t really matter. He sounds dumb right now. If he’s watched by fights, he understands I have other punches.”

The fighters continued war of words for a while until Garcia finally stated the obvious: A special left hook can take you a long way.

“The left hook is a blessing from God,” he said. “… Maybe all I need is the left hook, maybe that’s all it will take. Thank you, God.”

[lawrence-related id=36077,35838]

Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia tried to play nicely with one another Wednesday at the kickoff news conference for their 136-pound pay-per-view fight on April 22 in Las Vegas.

They spoke respectfully and played up the magnitude the highly anticipated fight between gifted young boxers who also have massive social media followings, which has generated an unusual buzz. It’s seen as one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport.

However, these are two extremely confident, sometimes brash young men. And they couldn’t hold back for long.

Take one exchange during the formal portion of the news conference, which took place at Palladium Times Square in New York City. Garcia was asked whether he stands by an earlier prediction that he would knock out Davis in two rounds.

“I was asked for a prediction and I gave one,” Garcia said. Then he seemed to back off somewhat, saying, “I’ll be ready for 12. You have to respect a fighter going in ….”

Davis interrupted. “You’re talking out the ass,” he said as he laned forward so he could see Garcia on the other side of the dais.

“Someone has to promote it (the event),” Garcia responded, an obvious shot at Davis, who arrived more than 1½ hours late to the news conference.

“It’s supposed to be like that. It’s cool,” Davis said.

Davis was then asked what Garcia can expect on fight night. “An ass whooping, that’s what he’s going to get,” he said.

Of course, that sort of trash talk is meant to sell the fight. Both fighters explained more rationally in one-on-one interviews why they feel they’ll emerge victorious.

Davis was asked what he and Garcia said to one another when they were nose-to-nose during the obligatory stare down, which went on for a few minutes. He didn’t want to come off as arrogant but his message was clear: He doesn’t think Garcia has what it takes to beat him.

“He just said what he said, and I said he ain’t like that,” Davis said. “I don’t want to sound like a tough guy but I know what it takes. Some of these guys, they don’t got it. They’re frontrunners. They play the tough guy role.

“They ain’t really that much, they ain’t got that dog in them.”

Both fighters are perceived to have unusual speed and punching power. Some believe that Davis, more experienced in big fights, might have an edge in technical ability.

He was asked whether he’s the better boxer. He looked at the interviewer almost incredulously before responding.

“You the know the answer,” he said. “Nah, I don’t think skill wise he’s on my level. Things can change. I don’t want to be the guy who is so above people. I still respect him as a fighter. … As a fighter I just don’t think he’s on my level as far as skills go.”

Garcia was interviewed while he was waiting for Davis to show up.

And he wasn’t kind to the former two-division titleholder, questioning his professionalism and character for arriving so late. It’s a pay-per-view bout, after all. The fighters are expected to help generate buys.

Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) also made it clear that he is something Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) has never encountered in the ring.

“He gives away rounds in the beginning, letting you blow off steam like most guys do,” he said. “… Then later he starts applying pressure and hopefully lands a big shot. Now he’s facing a guy who isn’t going to blow off steam. Now it’s a fight. If I hit you, it’s not going to feel good. You’re not going to keep coming forward and taking chances.

“If I find a good shot, nine out of 10 times it should hurt him. If not, I’ll just outbox him. … You don’t see it that much because I knock everyone out but I’ll [box] if I have to.”

And so it will be in the lead up to the fight, a lot of spicy words to build interest in the event. The second of two news conferences is set for 1 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

Actual punches won’t be exchanged for another six weeks. We’ll learn a lot more about both men at that time.

“On April 22 words won’t matter anymore,” Garcia said. “The truth will come out.”

[lawrence-related id=35838]

Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia tried to play nicely with one another Wednesday at the kickoff news conference for their 136-pound pay-per-view fight on April 22 in Las Vegas.

They spoke respectfully and played up the magnitude the highly anticipated fight between gifted young boxers who also have massive social media followings, which has generated an unusual buzz. It’s seen as one of the biggest possible matchups in the sport.

However, these are two extremely confident, sometimes brash young men. And they couldn’t hold back for long.

Take one exchange during the formal portion of the news conference, which took place at Palladium Times Square in New York City. Garcia was asked whether he stands by an earlier prediction that he would knock out Davis in two rounds.

“I was asked for a prediction and I gave one,” Garcia said. Then he seemed to back off somewhat, saying, “I’ll be ready for 12. You have to respect a fighter going in ….”

Davis interrupted. “You’re talking out the ass,” he said as he laned forward so he could see Garcia on the other side of the dais.

“Someone has to promote it (the event),” Garcia responded, an obvious shot at Davis, who arrived more than 1½ hours late to the news conference.

“It’s supposed to be like that. It’s cool,” Davis said.

Davis was then asked what Garcia can expect on fight night. “An ass whooping, that’s what he’s going to get,” he said.

Of course, that sort of trash talk is meant to sell the fight. Both fighters explained more rationally in one-on-one interviews why they feel they’ll emerge victorious.

Davis was asked what he and Garcia said to one another when they were nose-to-nose during the obligatory stare down, which went on for a few minutes. He didn’t want to come off as arrogant but his message was clear: He doesn’t think Garcia has what it takes to beat him.

“He just said what he said, and I said he ain’t like that,” Davis said. “I don’t want to sound like a tough guy but I know what it takes. Some of these guys, they don’t got it. They’re frontrunners. They play the tough guy role.

“They ain’t really that much, they ain’t got that dog in them.”

Both fighters are perceived to have unusual speed and punching power. Some believe that Davis, more experienced in big fights, might have an edge in technical ability.

He was asked whether he’s the better boxer. He looked at the interviewer almost incredulously before responding.

“You the know the answer,” he said. “Nah, I don’t think skill wise he’s on my level. Things can change. I don’t want to be the guy who is so above people. I still respect him as a fighter. … As a fighter I just don’t think he’s on my level as far as skills go.”

Garcia was interviewed while he was waiting for Davis to show up.

And he wasn’t kind to the former two-division titleholder, questioning his professionalism and character for arriving so late. It’s a pay-per-view bout, after all. The fighters are expected to help generate buys.

Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) also made it clear that he is something Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) has never encountered in the ring.

“He gives away rounds in the beginning, letting you blow off steam like most guys do,” he said. “… Then later he starts applying pressure and hopefully lands a big shot. Now he’s facing a guy who isn’t going to blow off steam. Now it’s a fight. If I hit you, it’s not going to feel good. You’re not going to keep coming forward and taking chances.

“If I find a good shot, nine out of 10 times it should hurt him. If not, I’ll just outbox him. … You don’t see it that much because I knock everyone out but I’ll [box] if I have to.”

And so it will be in the lead up to the fight, a lot of spicy words to build interest in the event. The second of two news conferences is set for 1 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

Actual punches won’t be exchanged for another six weeks. We’ll learn a lot more about both men at that time.

“On April 22 words won’t matter anymore,” Garcia said. “The truth will come out.”

[lawrence-related id=35838]

Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia is a go.

That’s the word from Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza, who tweeted Friday that the long-anticipated pay-per-view showdown is “official” for April 22 in Las Vegas. Davis said on the same platform, “It’s on!”

No venue was mentioned. The possibilities are T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena and Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Raiders.

The fight is one of the biggest possible matchups in boxing in terms of the popularity of the fighters, who are elite boxers and have massive social media followings.

Thus, the lead-up to the fight should be entertaining. And the matchup of knockout artists is about as compelling as it gets.

Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) is a former two-division world titleholder and No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list. He’s coming off a ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Hector Luis Garcia in January, a fight seen as a tune-up for Garcia.

“Tank” pleaded guilty to hit-and-run charges in January but won’t be sentenced until May, which means his legal woes shouldn’t interfere with the fight.

Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) chose not to take a stay-busy fight. He last fought in June of last year, when he stopped Javier Fortuna in six rounds.

Davis and Garcia agreed to a catch weight of 136 pounds, one over the lightweight limit.

[lawrence-related id=35384,35109,35096,35075,35067,34268,31592]

Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia is a go.

That’s the word from Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza, who tweeted Friday that the long-anticipated pay-per-view showdown is “official” for April 22 in Las Vegas. Davis said on the same platform, “It’s on!”

No venue was mentioned. The possibilities are T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena and Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Raiders.

The fight is one of the biggest possible matchups in boxing in terms of the popularity of the fighters, who are elite boxers and have massive social media followings.

Thus, the lead-up to the fight should be entertaining. And the matchup of knockout artists is about as compelling as it gets.

Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) is a former two-division world titleholder and No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list. He’s coming off a ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Hector Luis Garcia in January, a fight seen as a tune-up for Garcia.

“Tank” pleaded guilty to hit-and-run charges in January but won’t be sentenced until May, which means his legal woes shouldn’t interfere with the fight.

Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) chose not to take a stay-busy fight. He last fought in June of last year, when he stopped Javier Fortuna in six rounds.

Davis and Garcia agreed to a catch weight of 136 pounds, one over the lightweight limit.

[lawrence-related id=35384,35109,35096,35075,35067,34268,31592]