Gervonta Davis

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is a big punching boxing star who has held world titles in three weight classes and appears exclusively on Pay-Per-View. Davis has transcended the boxing world to become a cross-cultural figure who regularly packs out arenas and generates social media buzz due to his ability to create highlight-reel KO finishes. 

Davis has had issues in boxing, particularly around making weight and his relationship with Floyd Mayweather, and several issues away from boxing, including frequent personal problems and brushes with the law of varying severity. This profile provides an in-depth look at some of the highs and lows and career achievements of the boxer Gervonta Davis.

Gervonta Davis was born in the west side of Baltimore, Maryland, on November 7, 1994, to parents Garrin Davis and Kenya Brown. Davis’ early life was blighted by surrounding violence and a family history of drug abuse. He has fought an ongoing battle to try and steer clear of street life.

Young Gervonta moved from his grandmother’s house into one foster home to another as his wider family unit struggled with addiction problems and prison spells. Raised with ‘The Wire’ TV show set as his background reality, Davis was said to have first donned the gloves at five years old, eventually joining the Upton boxing gym in Baltimore as recommended by his uncles. This is where Gervonta Davis would meet Calvin Ford and their reputations grew together through the boxing codes.

Gervonta Davis amassed a reported 221-5 amateur record. During this time he won a number of accolades, including winning the National Silver Gloves Championships three years in a row: 2006, 2007 and 2008, plus gold medals at two National Junior Olympic tournaments and other recognised national events. After failing to meet the age criteria for the 2012 Olympics, 17-year-old Davis was prepared to turn professional. However, coach Calvin Ford implored him to stay amateur and win national titles. Davis followed his mentor’s advice.

2012 USA National Golden Gloves

From April 3 to May 5, 2012, Gervonta Davis participated in the US National Golden Gloves in Mesquite, Nevada, and won the tournament after five contests.

Preliminaries 1/16: 2012-04-30 (56kg), Gervonta Davis WPTS Michael Stoute; Preliminaries 1/8: 2012-05-02 (56kg), Gervonta Davis WPTS Jason Sanchez; Quarter-final: 2012-05-03 (56kg), Gervonta Davis WPTS Joet Gonzalez; Semi-final: 2012-05-04 (56kg), Gervonta Davis WPTS Hector Rendon; Final: 2012-05-05 (56kg), Gervonta Davis WPTS Joseph Rodriguez.

After hanging up the headguard and vest, Gervonta turned pro in 2013. Aligned with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) from the start, it was in 2015, when Davis signed with Floyd Mayweather Jr., that his star began to shine, and his march towards world titles truly began.

During his early career, much of Gervonta Davis’ buzz came from the gym, where his power-punching finishes made him an underground whisper. Right from his debut in February 2013, Davis was blasting away a variety of opponents. 

On October 8, 2014, Mexican veteran German Ivan Meraz lasted the six-round distance with an 8-0 Davis, although he had to rise from the canvas numerous times in order to do so. Davis would take another seven years to hear the final bell again (a 2021 UD12 over Isaac Cruz). During his early run of wins, notable victims included 8-1 Filipino Recky Dulay, former IBF world champion Cristobal Cruz, Luis Sanchez and Guillermo Avila, all of whom were knocked out.

Gervonta Davis vs Jose Pedraza

Davis fought the IBF super-featherweight champion Jose Pedraza at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on January 14, 2017. Both men were undefeated, and Puerto Rico’s Pedraza -making his third title defence- had established himself as a respectable champion with a good boxing brain and a reputation for toughness. Gervonta was too quick and powerful, knocking out ‘Sniper’ Pedraza in round seven. The fight was on the undercard of James DeGale vs. Badou Jack and Davis was ahead by four points on all three cards at the time of the stoppage.

Gervonta Davis vs Leo Santa Cruz

On October 31, 2020, in the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, Gervonta Davis was primed to deliver one of his most impressive finishes to date. After being extended into the 12th and final round by Yuriorkis Gamboa, Davis’ next opponent would only last half as long. Making his debut on Showtime Pay-Per-View, Gervonta dealt with Leo Santa Cruz’s long-levered flurries until his size and strength shone through. 

‘El Terremoto’ was caught with a round six uppercut that instantly turned his lights out as referee Rafael Ramos waved it off after 2:40. All three judges had Davis ahead 48-47 at the time of the stoppage. There were two titles on the line from two different weight classes. Davis’ WBA lightweight title and Santa Cruz’s ‘Super’ super-featherweight bauble.

Gervonta Davis vs Isaac Cruz

On December 5, 2021, Isaac Cruz stepped in to face Gervonta Davis in the Staples Center, Los Angeles, on Showtime Pay-Per-View. Cruz replaced original opponent Rolando Romero, who was battling legal issues. Romero would clear these issues to fight Davis next. 

In the Cruz bout, Davis injured his left hand mid-fight and was forced to box off the back foot in order to win a unanimous decision. Cruz broke a long run of consecutive knockouts for Davis. It was one of his most difficult assignments to date as Davis was forced to go the full 12-round distance for the first time in his career.

Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia

On April 22, 2023, Gervonta Davis fought 23-0 Ryan Garcia in the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, on Showtime Pay-Per-View and worldwide on DAZN. During the negotiations, there were issues over contractual catchweight, rehydration clauses, and rematch stipulations, as both teams tried for an early advantage. 

Starting early with the subtle mind games, Tank turned up late to the initial press conference. Both remained respectful before tempers frayed and the facade evaporated. Garcia accused ‘Tank’ Davis of refusing to promote the event, to which ‘Tank’ responded that he was ready to dish out an “ass whooping”.

Assembled from the same generation, the man known as ‘King Ry’ appealed to a separate demographic from Gervonta. It was a boxing match, not a popularity contest, as Davis dropped his peer in round two and crushed Ryan’s body in round seven to exert his generational dominance.

Calvin Ford

Since his amateur days, through turning professional in 2013, Calvin Ford has been a constant figure in Gervonta Davis’ corner. Cited as the inspiration behind a character in ‘The Wire’, Ford has experienced his own problems throughout life, including a 10-year prison stretch for conspiracy and drug racketeering charges across the 1990s. Under Ford’s tutelage, Gervonta Davis has become a three-weight world champion. Kenny Ellis has been a long-term assistant to Ford when training Davis.

Gervonta Davis has a heavy-handed power punching style. Davis tends to start off slowly, giving up rounds while working out his opponent’s moves. Davis suffocates his opponents with subtle foot movement and punch variety. He is defensively sound and has an underrated ring IQ. Much of Davis’ work comes off the back of his southpaw jab. The left uppercut is a highly potent punch. Given his conservative output, Gervonta’s timing is vital to his successful style.

From leaving a tough area to becoming a star boxer, Davis now holds an estimated net worth of over $10 million. He is known for investing money back into his district in Baltimore to help underprivileged children follow his path. Davis has previously been quoted stating that he wanted to earn enough money to buy his mother a new house in an area where she would not be too afraid to leave her home to visit the local store. 

Gervonta Davis has previously signed a brand endorsement deal with Under Armour. Davis is active on social media and boasts over 7.5 million followers on Instagram and 778,000 followers on Twitter/X. His regular messages are often met with huge interaction.

Gervonta Davis: Plane Crash

Prior to his fight with Ryan Garcia in April 2023, Gervonta Davis recalled an incident in August 2021 when he was involved in a plane crash. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Davis was in the aircraft with family and friends when it failed to take off correctly and nosedived into the grass. Just moments after the crash, Davis went live on Instagram to inform his followers about what had happened.

Gervonta Davis: Conversion To Islam

In January 2024, the Baltimore Banner newspaper first reported that Gervonta Davis had converted to Islam in a Maryland mosque at a ceremony on December 24, 2023. Taking the name Abdul Wahid, meaning “Servant of the One God,” Davis joined famous boxing luminaries like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, who had previously converted to Islam.

Gervonta Davis: Legal Issues

Gervonta Davis has been involved in a number of brushes with the law, some more serious than others. In 2019, Davis was accused of assaulting a man near an ATM machine. He has also been accused of domestic violence on more than one occasion, including a public incident at a basketball match. 

The most harrowing incident occurred in November, 2020 when Davis was accused of fleeing the scene of a vheicle accident that involved a number of people, one of which was a pregnant woman. In May 2023, the trial came to a conclusion that saw Davis avoid actual jail time but recevied community service and three months under house arrest.