The news that Gervonta Davis would fight Mario Barrios on June 26 took many by surprise.
Not so much because of Barrios’ ability – although he certainly is a good fighter – but because of his size. Davis last fought Leo Santa Cruz at 130 pounds in October; the Davis-Barrios fight will take place at 140.
Why is Davis doing it? “Because I want to be great,” he said Thursday afternoon during the kick-off news conference for the pay-per-view fight, which will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Barrios holds a secondary junior welterweight title.
“We know that Barrios is a bigger guy and that he can punch,” Davis said. “We’re working hard each day in the gym, because we’re going up against a big task on June 26.
“We all have challenges we go through in life, and that’s what makes us strong. This is another challenge that I have on my road to success. I’m ready to walk through it and keep pushing.”
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) is known for his punching power, which was on full display when he put Santa Cruz away with a single uppercut. And he has fought above 130 pounds as recently as December 2019, when he stopped Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 12th round of a 135-pound bout.
Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs) is a full-fledged 140-pounder, though. That means he’s accustomed to taking punches from bigger men. And while he doesn’t necessarily have one-punch knockout power, he can hurt opponents. He has stopped nine of his past 10 opponents, including Ryan Karl in six rounds in October.
Barrios also is quite a bit taller than Davis, 5-foot-10 to 5-5½, which was starkly evident when they did their stare down on Thursday.
Davis is well aware of all of the above.
“We know this is a dangerous fight,” he said. “Barrios is coming with power and you know for sure I’m coming with power. May the best man win. I took this fight because I want to be great.
“All the other big names at lightweight had scheduled fights so I felt like I wanted to go out and beat the best fighter out there for me. Even if he is bigger than me on fight night, it doesn’t matter. This is all part of the sport. My goal is to break him down.
“If I can get him out of there, I’ll get him out of there. If it goes 12 rounds, so be it. He’s big and strong, but he’s never faced anyone like me.”
Another reasonable question: Will Davis lose quickness at the higher weight?
Everyone who talks about Davis focuses on his punching power, for good reason. He’s also an excellent boxer and athlete with unusual hand and foot speed. He’ll be carrying considerably more weight on June 26.
Should he be concerned?
“I’m not worried about losing any speed by adding weight,” he said. “I’m going to be quick, regardless. I think I’m going to be at my best at 140 pounds.”
If that’s true, Barrios could be in for a long – or short – night.