Gervonta Davis: I'm better than Ryan Garcia; I'm the number one guy!

Although Gervonta Davis has conceded that Ryan Garcia has some talent, he doesn't believe it will be enough to beat him on April 22.

“I’m the better fighter,” said Davis to a gaggle of reporters. “It doesn't matter who they put in front of me. I’m better.”

The 28-year-old southpaw has been subjected to criticism around his level of opposition. Davis has not fought for a legitimate world title in nearly three years. While he has made five defenses of the WBA "Regular" 135-pound title, that belt is considered a secondary championship. The top fighter of each weight division in the WBA is awarded the "Super" belt, which is currently held by undisputed lightweight world champion Devin Haney.

Davis is coming off a ninth-round TKO win over Hector Garcia on January 7 in Washington, D.C. The 31-year-old Garcia, who currently holds a secondary world title at 130-pounds, moved up to lightweight to challenge Davis for his secondary title. In what was a competitive fight for the first half, Davis eventually broke Garcia down and nailed him with a straight left hand that left the Dominican southpaw unable to continue.

As for the rest of the 135-pound landscape, it is packed with talent. Two-division world champion Shalur Stevenson is set to make his 135-pound debut on April 8 in New Jersey against Japan's Shuichiro Yoshino. As previously mentioned, there is Haney, and he is expected to take former three-division world titleholder and dual Olympic gold medalist, Vasiliy Lomachenko.

While these men have yearned for a date with Davis, the Baltimore native has made it clear that it will come on his terms.

“I’m the number one guy right now.”

Davis' trainer, Calvin Ford, admits that Victorville, California's Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) isn’t the “toughest test” of his pupil's career, but he believes he will give it all in the ring.

Will that be enough to defeat Davis? We'll find out on April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

Share this story

must see