Gervonta Davis is the new WBA lightweight champion

Gervonta Davis lightweight

FORMER super-featherweight world champion Gervonta Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) successfully moved up to 135 pounds and won the WBA lightweight belt with a 12thย round knockout of Cuban veteran and former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs) Saturday night in front of 14,129 fans from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

[ Watch the KOย HERE:ย https://youtu.be/RQwX_UkJbDY ]

Baltimoreโ€™s Davis further cemented his status as one of boxingโ€™s most must-watch attractions, delivering knockdowns in rounds two and eight before delivering the final blow in round 12. Davisโ€™ trademark left-hand was on display all night, causing all three knockdowns including a devastating uppercut in the final round that closed the show in style and brought the fans in a raucous State Farm arena to their feet.

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Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

The power-punching southpaw landed on 48 percent of his power punches and established overall leads of 120-78 in overall punches, 27-9 in jabs and 93-69 in power. Davisโ€™ excellent defence was also on display as Gamboa was only able to connect on 13 percent of his punches, including just 3 percent of his jabs.ย 

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Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

38-year-old Gamboa, who was severely hampered early on by what he believes to be a ruptured Achilles tendon that occurred just before the second-round knockdown, showed tremendous heart and resilience to survive what looked like multiple knockout blows from the 25-year-old Davis.

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โ€œComing into this fight I knew Gamboa was a tough opponent,โ€ said Davis, who went past the ninth round for the first time in his career. โ€œI knew he was a vet. As you see in the ring, I was catching and hurting him but he was still there. I knew he was better than anyone I had fought before. I was mainly focused on catching him with clean shots.  I was catching him with clean shots and wasnโ€™t hurting him, so I knew I was in for rounds tonight.โ€

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When asked by SHOWTIME reporter Jim Gray to grade his own performance, Gervonta Davis replied with โ€œC-plus.โ€ย 

โ€œIt was a great experience. Iโ€™m only 25 years old. Iโ€™m learning each and every day. 2020 will be a big year. I feel comfortable at both weights.  I feel I could fight at 130 or 135. Iโ€™m the top dog.  Bring โ€˜em on.โ€

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Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

โ€œI feel OK, but I think I ruptured my Achilles tendon before I fell in the second round,โ€ said Gamboa. โ€œIโ€™m a warrior and I kept going, but as soon as I felt it I knew it was ruptured.  I couldnโ€™t put pressure on it.  I wanted to keep going.  I told my corner it was a problem but I wanted to keep going because Iโ€™m a warrior. Iโ€™m going to keep going. 135 is my weight. I want to stay there.โ€

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