If Shakur Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs) defeats challenger Artyom Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs) as expected this Saturday (Stevenson is a 25-1 favorite), he and Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) should be headed straight for a mega-fight against each other.
If the physiques are right, a matchup between Baltimore-raised Gervonta Davis and Newark-born Shakur Stevenson would be a big event. These two young, unbeaten southpaws would not only be fighting for the lightweight championship, but also to become the face of American boxing once Terence Crawford hangs up his gloves. Tank is arguably the best fighter Stevenson has ever faced, and so is Stevenson. Each claims the other has never beaten anyone else.
A Stevenson vs. Davis matchup would be fascinating. Stevenson is a master of defense, rarely gets hit cleanly, and is susceptible to losing rounds. According to Compubox, Shakur Stevenson has the highest Plus-Minus rating of any active boxer at +20.4 (a boxer's +/- rating: overall connect rate minus opponent's connect rate, a measure of the hit-don't-get-hit mantra). Davis uses his low center of gravity to create angles and openings for himself to land powerful, hard-hitting shots while providing a small target for his opponent. His 93% knockout rate speaks for itself.
30 fights. 30 wins. 28 knockouts. Those are the numbers Gervonta “Tank” Davis has amassed in his professional career. Will he sell tickets? Yes. Will he produce viral highlights? Absolutely. Tank Davis has crushed all challengers and is arguably boxing's most exciting attraction. Davis' knockout power is incredible for someone his size. If you squint hard enough, Davis looks like a 5'5″ 135 lb. Mike Tyson. Unfortunately, that analogy also applies to the controversy surrounding Davis outside of the ring.
Following his recent win over Frank Martin, two potential opponents that could make a big difference for Davis are Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson. Davis learned from his mentor-turned-opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr. that matchmaking is a big part of martial arts. Lomachenko is focused, healthy and looks as dangerous as ever. However, he is 36 years old and small for a lightweight. Conventional wisdom would suggest that Davis would likely choose to face the older, naturally smaller Lomachenko. The question for boxing fans is whether Gervonta Davis would take the risk of facing a young lion like 26-year-old Shakur Stevenson. Davis has said that his recent prison stint has helped him grow personally, and boxing fans are hoping that this growth will also apply to Tank's opponent selection.
Davis vs. Stevenson is a big fight that could take place in Las Vegas, given the skill level and importance of the bout. But the two fighters were born in Maryland and New Jersey, about 180 miles apart, so why not have the bout take place in a major East Coast city like Philadelphia or New York City? Atlantic City is more of a neutral ground. Tank is the favorite at the moment, but Stevenson could build some ticket-selling credibility this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark against a relative unknown.
In the age of the internet and streaming, the location of the fight card is less important than ever, as boxing and MMA fights take place all over the world, from Abu Dhabi to Tokyo, London to Las Vegas, and are watched by audiences from all over the world. Big fights like Stevenson vs. Davis should be made with the health of boxing in mind, now and in the future. We need to ensure that the most passionate fans of both fights can come out in droves. Big fights like Davis vs. Stevenson need a big fight atmosphere that can be conveyed from the broadcast to sports bars and living rooms. Splitting the arena 50/50 or close to that between Tank fans and Shakur fans will help achieve that atmosphere. Not everyone can go to Las Vegas to see a big fight. MMA enthusiasts will go to see a big fight no matter where it takes place. We need to build a fanbase for the future of boxing.
Davis recently said that if he were to fight Shakur Stevenson, Stevenson would take a defensive, uninteresting tactic. Stevenson responded, “Gervonta Davis is a good fighter, but he's a casual guy. He'll say what a casual guy says.” Regardless of how hilarious it is for a boxer to call another boxer a casual guy, Stevenson's stellar performance over the holiday weekend on ESPN in the US may be enough to spur him on to demand a fight with Tank Davis. If Stevenson really wants it, the fight will happen.
Stevenson's promotional contract with Bob Arum and Top Rank will end after his fight with Harutyunyan. If Stevenson wants to be a boxing superstar, he needs to use his contractual freedom as an asset, as he has said many times before. Stevenson can sign promotional deals on a fight-by-fight basis, thus avoiding the strings attached to one promotional company. Promoter politics does no good to boxing. Everyone knows it's bad for the sport. In this model, the fighter is the product, not the promoter.
In theory, Stevenson would fight Davis under the guidance of Al Haymon, then take on Top Rank's Vasyl Lomachenko. That's easier said than done in boxing's current state, but Stevenson has the talent and ambition to break the mold. In the world of team sports, free agency seemed like madness, like a salary cap for teams, until it became a reality.
This article will be out of date if Artem Harutyunyan shocks Shakur Stevenson on Saturday. But Shakur Stevenson is the most certain thing boxing has seen in a long time. He has the pedigree and talent to be the future face of American boxing. Another man worthy of that crown would be Gervonta Davis. Let's settle this in the ring.
