BTN News: LAS VEGAS – Gervonta “Tank” Davis showed once again why he is Must-See TV as the undefeated power-puncher delivered a highlight-reel knockout over fellow unbeaten Frank “The Ghost” Martin in the eighth round of an electrifying fire fight that headlined action live on SHOWTIME from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Saturday night’s fight, Davis’ first in the ring in 14 months, was a thrilling brawl and cemented his reputation as one of boxing’s most exciting fighters.
Both Martin and Davis colorfully recounted the combat, in which Davis slowly stalked Martin, trapping him like an animal and then punishing him with hard shots. Despite Martin finding early success with his jab and movement that seemed to frustrate and capitalize on bruises left behind by the champion, Davis’ constant aggression wore out the challenger.
First Three Rounds: Martin: Tactical Genius
His jab was working; Frank Martin had Davis of kilter. That circling and shifting seemed to give “Tank” some minor trouble, as Davis was paused on his feet for a brief second. Lucas Martin/FSM Lucas Martin/FSM Lucas Martin/FSM Lucas Martin/FSM Lucas Martin/FSM Martin managed to connect with some power shots that left a little bit of a mark on Davis’ face.
Illiterate Activist: The Dogged Persistence of Davis
Davis came alive in the later rounds, however. Martin was backed into corners or against the ropes by the seventh, with Boesel walking him down before landing strong left hands in combination. The loosened approach from Davis was a clear indicator of his ambition and he duly began to unpick Martin.
Climax: Fireworks Finally happen
The fight would be settled in the eight round. A jaw-dropping left uppercut followed by a cleaned-up left cross by Davis landed flush on Martin’s chin. That one landed flush and sent Martin toon the ground, unable to continue and securing Davis the win. Talking about the knockout shortly after, Davis said: “Boom that was it…the brick hand just ended it. God damn.”
Thoughts on the Fight, Looking Ahead
The win pushed the 29-year-old Davis to 30-0, with 28 wins inside the distance. So, this latest entry on his sizzle reel maintains his status as boxing’s most buzzworthy champion in that, not only did he keep his WBA lightweight world title, he once again proved to be the most exciting fighter in the sport today.
Davis’ knockout set Martin back in his first professional loss, something he attributed to the power of the knockout blows, noting, “It was a shot I didn’t see.”
While Davis celebrates a glorious return to the spotlight, and Martin takes time to savor the experience and learn from it, fans wait with eager anticipation to see what might be next for the two fighters. Davis has certainly established the blueprint for other big stakes fights to be held in the lightweight division.
