IT appears more than likely that Gervonta โ€˜Tankโ€™ Davis will not return to the ring this year.

The WBA lightweight champion was due to face Lamont Roach – the WBA’s super-featherweight titlist – on December 14 in Houston. However, there have been various rumours suggesting that the event will instead take place in January.

Davis, unbeaten in 30 fights, responded to such claims two days ago by posting on X, โ€œIโ€™m still fighting in Houstonโ€ and โ€œEverything still a go.โ€

Veteran boxing reporter Dan Rafael wrote in his Fight Freak newsletter that โ€œsources involved in the eventโ€ say the fight will not happen this year. In response to a message from Rafael to Davis for clarity on situation the champion replied, “January I’m hearing”.

The only outing for Davis in 2024 was an eighth-round knockout over Frank Martin at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk was the co-feature on the card and there have been rumours that another Davis-Benavidez double-header could feature in January with Davis vs. Roach and Benavidez in a mouth-watering 175lb clash against David Morrell.