Gervonta Davis could be still be set to return this year despite no official announcement.
The WBA Lightweight World Champion defended his belt in June with an emphatic knockout of previously undefeated Frank Martin. He immediately entered talks with the IBF’s Vasiliy Lomachenko for a unification, but the Ukrainian pulled out.
Another two-belt clash with WBC’s Shakur Stevenson remains on ice, and ‘Tank’ Davis was reportedly targeting a rematch with Isaac Cruz after the Mexican became only one of two men to take him the distance back in 2021.
Those plans were scuppered by one Jose Valenzuela. ‘El Rayo’ beat Cruz for his WBA Super-Lightweight World Title in August. Naturally, many in the sport began to speculate that the winner was now in line for Davis, even despite his trainer Robert Garcia stating clearly that they wouldn’t fight again this year.
Speaking to ES News from the gym, Valenzuela shut down the speculation, saying that the contracted rematch with Cruz takes precedence.
“I don’t got a date yet but I’m just moving around … Yeah of course the fans [are asking me about the Tank fight] because they were excited about it cause that’s what they’re hearing … Nah [not in November], I got a rematch clause with Pitbull so we’re waiting for them and we’ll go from there.”
Those who still believe the fight – which would likely see Davis step up to 140 pounds for the second time in his campaign – is next will assume a step-aside deal is being worked out with Cruz.
Dan Rafael reports that ‘Tank’ could return on either November 23 or December 14, with ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez revealing that the event could be co-headlined by David Benavidez, a repeat of the Martin show in June where Benavidez made his light-heavyweight debut against Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
