Teddy Atlas often has harsh words of criticism for many of the sports top stars but now he has claimed he would ‘pay too much money’ to see one man take on the challenge of Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.

Davis is a much-heralded young star of boxing known for his punching power, ring IQ and counter-punching ability and someone Floyd Mayweather recently named as one of the top three stars of the sport.

Those attributes have helped him become world champion in three weight classes from super featherweight to light welterweight.

His most recent bout was in April when he took on Ryan Garcia at a catchweight in Las Vegas, Nevada. He soon got to Garcia and knocked him down with a heavy left in the second round before then stopping him to the body in the seventh round.

In November 2023, when Haney moved up to super lightweight, Davis was elevated to primary WBA lightweight champion. His next fight has not yet been announced but former coach turned pundit Atlas has named who he would like to see in the ring with ‘Tank.’

Speaking on The Fight, he names 20-1 super lightweight contender Subriel Matias from Puerto Rico and rates him highly.

Matias has knocked out his last five opponents while fighting in the US, having lost his Stateside debut against Petros Ananyan on points.

As of January 2nd, 2024, Gervonta Davis was officially elevated to the WBA “Super” Lightweight Champion status following Devin Haney’s decision to vacate the belt and move up in weight. This means Davis is now the sole recognized WBA champion at 135 pounds, solidifying his position as the top dog in the division. Previously reigning as the WBA secondary lightweight champion, Tank Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) also known as Abdul Wahid has now ascended to the full title.

Davis, an American professional boxer has held multiple world championships in three weight classes, from super featherweight to light welterweight. He is known for his powerful punching and aggressive fighting style. He has a knockout-to-win ratio of over 80%, and he has been compared to boxing greats like Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Becoming champion by promotion instead of victory often earns mockery. “Tank” Davis, however, rejects the “email champion” label, sending a tongue-in-cheek message to the WBA: keep your “super” title. “I don’t want that ****,” said Davis on his social media account. “I want blood.”

Davis was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1994. He began boxing at the age of five, and he had a successful amateur career, winning the National Golden Gloves Championship in 2012. Davis turned professional in 2013, and he quickly rose through the ranks. He won his first world title, the IBF Super Featherweight Championship, in 2017.

“I ain’t no email champion. I earned my respect in the ring, and I’m gonna keep proving it. This belt might have come easy, but I’m not taking it easy. The real work starts now,” he added.

“They can call it whatever they want, ‘regular,’ ‘super,’ whatever. I’m still the champion, and I’m gonna defend this title like any other. “This is just one step on the way to the top. I’m not satisfied with just being champion. I want to be undisputed, the best in the world. This belt is just another motivation to keep pushing,” said Davis.

Davis is ready to prove himself in the ring, and he’s not going to let the WBA’s decision hold him back. It remains to be seen how this situation will play out, but one thing is for sure: Gervonta Davis is not going down without a fight.

In the world of boxing, blows are exchanged in the ring. But what about fashion jabs outside it? Imagine two renowned fighters, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, embroiled in a feud. This has already been the case with them for weeks, but this time, it’s not about contracts or fights.

It’s about tank tops and necklaces. Sounds odd, right? A recent Twitter post showcased both boxers in strikingly similar attire. The observation was amusing, but Davis’ response? That’s where the intrigue lies. He didn’t just jab; he swung with words. But what exactly did he say?

From gloves to garments: Gervonta Davis and Haney’s face-off

In the combustible world of boxing, words can sting as sharply as punches. But how far is too far? Recently, Bill Haney, father of Devin Haney, took rivalry banter to a new level. His target? Gervonta Davis, a fellow boxer and recent convert to Islam. The incident?

Bill Haney isn’t stopping!

The simmering rivalry between Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, two titans of the boxing world, took a sharp turn recently. Bill Haney, Devin’s father and a central figure in his boxing career, has ignited controversy with a provocative social media post. After a zoo visit, where he controversially referred to a chimpanzee as “Abdul Wahid” – Davis’ new Muslim name, Haney escalated the situation.

Then hours later, on Instagram, he shared an old tweet from Davis, originally reading “The Big Ape 🦍,” dated May 30, 2021. Haney boldly crossed this out, replacing it with “Lil Monkey.” This direct jab intertwines personal attacks with religious undertones, intensifying an already heated rivalry.

Historically, trash talk has been a staple in boxing, a mental game played outside the ring. However, Haney’s recent actions blur the lines of sportsmanship and respect. His mocking of Davis’ with the use of animal comparisons in his taunts bring a new, unsettling dimension to this feud.

But could these remarks be because of Davis’ provocation a few days ago?

Did Gervonta Davis’ comments spark Haney’s mocking retaliation?

The fiery exchange between Gervonta Davis and the Haneys may have taken a new turn with Davis’ comments potentially provoking Bill Haney’s mocking actions. Davis, known for his in-ring prowess, not so long ago warned Devin Haney in a charged statement, saying, “Your father gonna cry for what I’m a do to you.”

This bold proclamation, layered with both challenge and disdain, might have been the catalyst for Bill Haney’s subsequent controversial behavior. Seen as a response to Davis’ taunts, Bill’s actions at the zoo and his social media posts can be interpreted as a direct retaliation. This tit-for-tat in the boxing world highlights the deep-seated rivalry and the lengths to which fighters and their camps will go to unsettle their opponents.

From Davis’ incendiary comments to Bill Haney’s provocative actions, each move seems calculated to unnerve and challenge the other. Where should the line be drawn in the art of psychological gamesmanship? What do you think? Is this level of trash talk a necessary component of the sport’s hype, or does it detract from the essence of boxing?

Gervonta Davis was the favourite heading into his fight with Ryan Garcia in April, and many were expecting him to win by KO.

However, a body shot victory was not predicted by many and so it came as a surprise when Garcia sank to a knee in round seven.

The fight began with a typically tentative start from Davis as he sized up his opponent in the early stages.

Garcia threw out some jabs in the opening round, though little of consequence landed for either man.

Early in round two, Garcia launched his first real attacks as he hurled combinations at Davis.

Tank clinched to negate these moments, though Garcia was relentless with his assault and had him on the back foot.

However, in an instant the round flipped on its head as Garcia missed with a left hook and Davis nailed him with a counter left of his own which knocked him down to the canvas.

Garcia quickly rose back to his feet and survived the round as he was not badly hurt – the knockdown reminiscent of the only time he’d previously been floored by Luke Campbell in 2021.

The third round was quieter as a result, with Garcia far more cautious having felt Tank’s power.

This allowed Davis to open up more and come forward as he made his opponent flinch with every feint.

Round four saw Tank continuing to box in a methodical fashion, picking his shots well and showing off impressive defensive ability to avoid all of Garcia’s dangerous left hook attempts.

By the fifth, Davis looked completely comfortable as he grabbed Garcia during a clinch and span him around. He then taunted his opponent by doing a 360 spin on his own once they were separated.

As they hit the halfway point, Garcia finally had some serious success by nailing Tank with a couple of hard right hands.

In round seven, he attempted to build on this success but was then smashed by a brutal body shot from Davis.

Garcia retreated a few steps and took a knee as the pain spread through his mid-section.

He was unable to make it back to his feet and the referee waved off the contest.

Garcia explained in his post-fight interview: “He caught me with a good body shot and I just couldn’t recover.

“I couldn’t breathe. I just couldn’t get up…

“Tank is a great fighter. I take my hat off to him. We talked a lot of s***, but it’s all love at the end of the day.

“I was honoured to be in the ring with a great fighter and I respect him a lot.”

Davis said: “I seen his facial expression and that’s what made me take it to him. It was a good shot, for sure.

“I thought he was gonna get up, but I like to play mind games, so when he was looking at me, I was looking at him, like, ‘Get up,’ and he shook his head, ‘No.’”

Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela was apoplectic when he was given the first results. After going 10 hard-fought rounds with Chris Colbert a few months prior, the 24-year-old believed he did more than enough to earn the victory. He was wrong.

Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) lashed out at Colbert, demanded a rematch, and refused to take no for an answer. His bellyaching, ultimately, got him the sequel he believed he deserved. This time around, he told the three judges sitting ringside to take a smoke break as he got rid of Colbert before the sound of the final bell.

Before taking care of business, Valenzuela was given extra motivation to get the job done. With the WBA making their rematch a title eliminator, Valenzuela knew that a win would put him in the driver’s seat for a showdown with Gervonta Davis.

Immediately after decapitating Colbert, Valenzuela began putting pressure on the sanctioning body. The Mexican native is convinced that he’s earned his spot with one of boxing’s biggest stars and won’t be summarily dismissed.

Kenny Ellis, however, one of Davis’ assistant trainers, cracked a smile while Valenzuela continued to call out his fighter. If Davis decides that Valenzuela is next, fans should expect a short and violent night.

“I don’t got him getting out of three rounds with Tank,” said Ellis during an interview with MillCity Boxing.

Normally, Davis doesn’t play around with his food. Before closing the curtains on his 2023, the Baltimore native took out a pair of Garcia’s. Since ending their brazen trash talk, Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) has been seen going back and forth with Devin Haney.

Presently, everything is fluid. Meaning, he’s still in need of a dance partner. Valenzuela, considering his recent track record, is somewhat worthy of sharing the ring with Davis according to Ellis. With that said, he has one glaring and obvious weakness that he must correct if he hopes to stand any chance with the pound-for-pound star.

“Every time he engages he makes a crucial mistake,” explained Ellis. “Every time, not sometimes, every time he engages. Tank would get him in three rounds, if not less.”

Gervonta Davis has had a difficult year in spite of the massive successes inside the ring. In a massive development, his head coach, Calvin Ford, has been arrested in Davis’ hometown Baltimore. However, just hours after the incident came to light online today, the undefeated pugilist turned to social media with a difficult confession.

The reason behind Calvin Ford’s latest arrest seems to be serious. The update comes days after Davis recently transitioned into his new faith as a Muslim and changed his name to Abdul Wahid. Possibly contemplating his trainer’s arrest, Davis turned to Instagram, channeling his thoughts into a poignant life lesson.

Gervonta Davis starts the year with a difficult lesson

While there’s no guarantee that the Instagram story was regarding his trainer’s arrest, the timing and the choice of words do suggest a connection. The southpaw wrote, “The less people you chill with, the less problems you deal with.” Davis himself is dealing with his prohibition at the moment, unable to visit his family for Christmas

Tank has been out of the ring since he clashed with Ryan Garcia in April last year. Though he managed to pull off a dominant victory, fans have speculated about his return since then. Meanwhile, Ford’s recent arrest raises questions about Davis’ return to the ring. But why was he arrested? Here are some of the details we know as of now.

Arrest Warrant for Calvin Ford isn’t from Baltimore

Even though the 58-year-old was picked up by the cops in Baltimore, his actual arrest warrant was issued from Las Vegas. According to co-trainer Kenny Ellis, Ford’s charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

However, co-trainer Ellis denies any wrongdoing, claiming to have been with Ford the entire time. He questions if Ford did something wrong and why, if he was with him, the cops didn’t arrest him. He later goes on to claim that the truth will come out soon.

If not for Ford, at least for Davis’ boxing career, what happens to Ford is vital. There are always chances of the Instagram story and Ford’s recent arrest being two different things. However, what do you think about Davis’ latest post? Tell us in the comments below.