Tale of the Tape: Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin
Here, we look at how Gervonta Davis, one of the world's top pound-for-pound boxers, stacks up against lightweight title challenger Frank Martin ahead of Saturday's championship bout in Las Vegas.
Warning: Video contains coarse language.
Davis last stepped into the ring for a professional fight in April 2023, handing Ryan Garcia his first defeat using a body shot that put "King Ry" down in the seventh round of a blockbuster catchweight bout. This Saturday in Las Vegas, Davis will attempt to hand Martin, another noteworthy opponent, his first pro loss.
Despite the lack of in-ring activity, it's been a busy past year and a half for Davis, who was elevated to primary WBA lightweight champion after Devin Haney relinquished his title to move up in weight. "Tank" also spent time on house arrest as part of sentencing for a hit-and-run crash that injured four people in 2020. He then spent 44 days in jail for violating the terms of the house arrest.
Davis' roller-coaster life hasn't detracted him from his goal of defending his title against Martin, a promising southpaw stepping into the spotlight of a big-ticket fight for the first time.
"Been in jail, been on house arrest, and things like that. There's a lot of shit built up," Davis said at a May press conference.
"It's a lot built up, and I'm going to take it out on him."
Earning the nickname "Ghost" because of his blazing speed, thunderous left hand, and in-ring athleticism, Martin didn't seem fazed by Davis' remarks. He also doesn't appear nervous about performing in front of a massive crowd and TV audience, who'll watch Saturday's broadcast, which carries a co-main event between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk, on Amazon Prime Video.
"My first time on that magnitude, with this type of fight, our stare-off, I wanted him to feel me," Martin said about sharing the big stage with Davis, one of boxing's biggest attractions.
The two combatants also have a history that adds allure and entertainment value to this fight.
Martin caught Davis with a hard left hand during a sparring session at Floyd Mayweather's gym in 2023. The shot, which Davis calls Martin's "brick hand," apparently rattled the champion, causing him to get heated and wrestle Martin to the ground before the pair were separated. After the video leaked on the internet, fans clamored for a match between the two lightweights, which became a reality last February when the sides agreed to a title fight.
Davis enters as the clear favorite thanks to a sterling resume, which includes a perfect 29-0 record with 27 knockouts. He's taken down tough competitors in Garcia, Rolando Romero, and Isaac Cruz over the last three years, with Cruz being the only fighter to go the distance with Davis since 2014.
Martin's a tremendous fighter in his own right, but his biggest wins aren't against the same caliber of fighter as Davis. He defeated top-10 lightweight competitor Michel Rivera in 2022 and narrowly beat 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Artem Harutyunyan by decision last July.
Davis' fights are always electric and full of big moments. It wouldn't be surprising to witness something similar this Saturday when he looks to stop the powerful Martin and end any debate after what happened in the aforementioned sparring session.
Get ready for a barn burner!