Gervonta 'Tank' Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) appeared notably fatigued and lacking strength as he faced former IBF/WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs) in their bout for the vacant WBA 'regular lightweight title at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday. Despite his weariness, Davis managed to stop Gamboa in the 12th round, with the fight officially halted at 1:17 of the final round.
Had Gamboa chosen a more conservative approach in the last round, he might have lasted the full 12 rounds. However, driven by his pride, the Cuban fighter sought a knockout against the exhausted Davis. This aggressive strategy ultimately provided Davis with the opening to land a decisive blow.
Davis, 25, sent Gamboa to the canvas three times throughout the match, notably in rounds 2, 8, and 12. Referee Jack Reiss made the surprising decision to stop the fight after Davis's knockdown of the 38-year-old Gamboa in the 12th round. Despite Reiss typically allowing fights to continue after knockdowns, he acted swiftly in this instance. Gamboa encountered a shoe issue after being knocked down in the 2nd round, with his shoe damaged upon impact. Unexpectedly, Gamboa lacked a backup pair, forcing him to fight with the compromised footwear for the remainder of the bout.
Davis's performance waned in the latter half of the fight, conceding rounds 7 and 10 by fighting at a reduced pace. Despite this, he managed to deliver knockdowns in rounds 8 and 12 by suddenly intensifying his attack. While Davis did not sustain full intensity throughout entire rounds, his sporadic bursts of energy caught Gamboa off guard.
Following this underwhelming display by Davis, it's likely that other top lightweights are now eyeing a match with him. Whether Davis's lackluster performance stemmed from his weight miss on Friday night remains uncertain. This marked Davis's debut at 135 pounds, and his power seemed diminished at the new weight class. Some may argue that Davis's perceived power never matched his record, as he never faced top-tier opposition at super featherweight, which presents a significant drawback.
Davis reflected on the fight, acknowledging Gamboa's skill and expressing a belief that focusing more on body shots could have led to an earlier victory. He also noted his strategic variability throughout the match, emphasizing the effectiveness of his power jabs in later rounds.
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