LAS VEGAS — Gervonta Davis got one over on Frank Martin in their first faceoff ahead of their much-anticipated boxing match.

Davis (29-0) is scheduled to defend his WBA lightweight title against Martin (18-0) on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. On Wednesday, the two met for the event’s pre-fight press conference that was relatively uneventful until the faceoffs at the end.

“Tank” quickly got in Martin’s face and the pair spent a few minutes jawing back and forth, with Davis repeating that he is “going to touch you up” while Martin replied that they’ll see on Saturday. Tension continued to build as the faceoff prolonged, culminating in a moment at the end where Davis feinted, drawing out a flinch from “The Ghost.” Davis then laughed dismissively at the challenger as he and his team walked off.

Gervonta Davis is widely regarded as one of the best boxers in the sport’s recent history. At 29 years old, he still has a lot of fight left to carve out a truly unique legacy.

But getting to the pinnacle of the lightweight division didn’t come easy, although a lot of it was due to Tank himself. Davis has been marred by out-of-the-ring legal issues over the past seven years. One of those issues led to him spending 44 days in jail last summer.

Tank Davis says jail changed him as a person

During a recent interview with PBC, Davis spoke about those 44 days and how it changed him as a person.I felt like I wasn’t supposed to be in there. It was a learning experience. It showed me that’s not where I want to be. I got kids, I got to take care of, my family, friends and everything I’ve got to take care of… I’m fighting for my future, my kids’ future, my people’s future that’s coming behind me.

Prison can change any man, and it sounds like a month and a half played a role in reshaping Davis’ mindset. In December, Davis converted to Islam, another nod to his personal change.

Davis has stayed out of trouble in the lead-up to his fight against Frank Martin on June 15. Davis puts his WBA lightweight title on the line against the unbeaten 29-year-old with a lot to prove.

Gervonta Davis is already considered by some to be one of the best fighters of his era, but who does he look up to from days gone by?

The hard-hitting 29-year-old from Baltimore is undefeated in his campaign so far, scoring 27 stoppages from 29 wins spanning three divisions. With fights against other top dogs on the horizon and promised, he has the time to secure an impressive legacy.

Speaking to Bat Boys Baseball, ‘Tank’ named the three men he considers to be the sport’s greatest of all time.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali was an enigma inside and outside of the ropes, becoming one of the most influential and significant figures not just in boxing but the sporting world entire. The star of both the Thrilla in Manilla and The Rumble in the Jungle backed up his famous trash talk in the ring with nimble footwork and stinging shots thrown from all angles. He won the world heavyweight championship three times and successfully defended his belts 19 times.

Mike Tyson

It’s easy to see why ‘Tank’ Davis looks up to ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson. The pair are unflappable in the build-up to big fights and intimidate opponents like not many others can. Tyson was known for his explosive power and peek-a-boo style with a 78% knockout-to-fight ratio. He has previously said that all he has in common with Davis is ‘trouble with the law’, but others feel many more comparisons can be made.

Floyd Mayweather

Despite an increasingly volatile relationship with Floyd Mayweather – his promoter and mentor for this first chapter of his career – ‘Tank’ still recognises the skills of the four-weight world champion. With some of the most impressive defensive skills the sport has ever seen, Mayweather became the biggest box office star in boxing on his journey to the famous 50-0 perfect record.

Davis returns to the ring this weekend to defend his WBA Lightweight World Title against fellow undefeated southpaw Frank Martin.

This Saturday, June 15 is the date that Frank Martin has marked in red on the calendar to defeat Gervonta Davis.

At stake is the WBA lightweight title with ‘Tank’ as the clear favourite, something the American challenger is comfortable with.

No one expects him to win, but he says he is ready to end the reign of one of the best.

“These kind of fights are the ones that define you. I feel like I’ve been the underdog in this sport since I started, so it’s nothing I’m not used to. I’m ready for this opportunity in front of me. You can’t blame people for being blind if you don’t wake them up. So having this fight is the perfect opportunity to show the world who I am,” Martin has said.

He has 18 career wins (12 by KO) and no losses. Good numbers, but perhaps not enough against an opponent of the calibre of Davis, a monster both in and out of the ring.

“When people doubt me, it feeds me. Gervonta thinks it’s too soon. He thinks I’m not ready. I see it as an opportunity to surprise the world. It’s my time. It’s my time. We could see the best fighter in the world get knocked out. I feel like they screwed up. By accepting this fight, they gave me the opportunity. I’ll show everybody,” he said.

What Martin says matters little to Davis, who is confident of his potential after 29 wins (27 by KO) and no losses

In his last fight, he finished Ryan Garcia with a stomach shot that proved decisive in the seventh round. Now, he gives Martin some chance of staying on his feet. Tank‘s’ prediction is that he will finish his opponent in the ninth round.

“Frank Martin is tough. He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s in his prime, he’s hungry and he’s coming to win. He’s a great opponent. He’s going to be champion one day… but not on June 15.”

A pair of undefeated titans will go head-to-head for the WBA Lightweight World Title. Gervonta “Tank” Davis will defend his title and outstanding record against Frank Martin.

Davis enters this fight with 29 wins, 0 defeats, and 27 knockouts. It’s tough to find a better resume than that. He’s coming off an impressive seventh-round victory over Ryan Garcia in April 2023. Saturday will be Martin’s first title shot. Despite an impressive 18-0 record with 12 knockouts, he’s definitely lacking in the power department compared to Davis.

Given Davis’ longevity, unprecedented power, and proven track record in title matches, most people aren’t giving Martin much of a chance. But that’s why the fights happen. Here’s everything to know about Saturday’s fight.

Sharma writes, “Given Davis’ superior record, championship pedigree, and most recent impressive win over a highly-touted opponent, we predict Davis will likely emerge victorious in this undefeated fight clash. Davis’ wealth of experience and his drive to maintain his undefeated record.”

Timothy Bradley: Martin is too lacking in experience to win

Bradley says, “I worry about Frank, too, where you have a guy [Gervonta Davis] that is comfortable, and he doesn’t mind playing catch-up,” Bradley continued. “See, that’s the thing. You don’t realize that. [Davis] is an apex predator for a reason because he sets traps.”

Gervonta Davis is back in action for the first time in 14 months when he faces Frank Martin in Las Vegas.

The fight, which will be available on Prime Video PPV in the U.S. and , will headline what is a stacked undercard.

David Benavidez is set to feature in the co-main event when he makes his light heavyweight debut against former world champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

In addition to Davis defending his WBA lightweight title, there is a second world title fight on the card with Carlos Adames making the first defence of his WBC middleweight title against Terrell Gausha.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Davis vs. Martin and who is featuring on the undercard.

Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin fight date, start time

• Date: Saturday, June 15
• Time: 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. UK time (Sunday)
• Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. UK time (Sunday)

The broadcast is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. UK time. The Davis vs. Martin ringwalks are scheduled for 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. UK, but that may depend on the length of the fights on the undercard.