We are now in a big fight week called Canelo vs. Charlo, and Showtime Sports Executive Stephen Espinoza is prepping the media ahead of his arrival in Las Vegas, NV, by squashing a rumor that has grown enough legs to get his attention. 28-year-old boxing star Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) will not be fighting Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman (30-1, 22 KOs) in a supposed catchweight fight. Espinoza posted from his X account, “Y'all need to stop with the Tank vs. Thurman stuff. It's. Not. Happening. Stop believing everything you read on social media. Not all sources are the same.”
The rumor began with an account from X by @dantheboxingman, who posted that a fight between Tank and Thurman was next for the Baltimore star and would be at a catchweight of 145 pounds. While Davis has been absent from social media for the most part, the rumor grew bigger and bigger. It finally reached Espinoza’s radar, who is active on X, and he squashed the rumor before being asked a million questions about it during Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez vs. Jermell Charlo fight week. As silly as it is that these rumors grow big enough to require a response from the Showtime Sports Executive, it often occurs during the weeks when news items are scarce, and fighters disappear from social media platforms. The rumor is squashed, and we can all go back to wondering who Tank will fight next.
THERE IS NO TANK VS. THURMAN NEXT, SO WHAT ARE SOME REALISTIC OPTIONS?
The opponent that has been consistently mentioned since Tank Davis’ victory over Ryan Garcia in April has been Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz. It’s a rematch that even Tank’s trainer Calvin Ford has wanted since Davis didn’t look his best, and Cruz’s popularity has skyrocketed. Cruz has been taking interim fights while waiting for Davis, in which he has come out victorious. If they are going to do it, that fight makes the most sense to happen next.
While the Cruz fight is there to be made, there is speculation that something else might be in play. Davis’ trainer, Ford, was recently on The Rize Podcast and stated, "Right now, something big is coming”, said Ford. "I can tell you that. It’s quiet for a reason. They're trying to seal the deal.” If we are talking about something big, it wouldn’t be the Cruz fight. Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney are tied up with fights, and the only other big name would be Teofimo Lopez, but that doesn’t appear to be it, then who?
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley called out Davis in August, and that would be the biggest monetary fight that can be made for both fighters. It would be considered the younger version of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor, and it would have the potential to make a run at the PPV records. Some things would have to be ironed out between the UFC and Showtime, but it could happen and would be the hottest ticket in town. Whether boxing fans want to accept this type of exhibition or not, it’s called prizefighting, and this would be Tank’s most significant purse to date. Only time will tell what’s next for Davis, but the feeling is that whichever direction he goes, it’ll be announced in the coming weeks.
