When telling the story of boxing over the last five years, you can’t tell it without mentioning Gervonta Davis. One of the most explosive punchers the sport has seen in recent history, “Tank” has run through the lightweight division after cleaning up at super featherweight. Along the way, he has become one of the faces of boxing, selling out crowds whenever he fights.
Davis doesn’t have to prove anything to any critics, but a subsection of boxing fans still feel like he hasn’t risked enough against some of the big dogs of the sport. While that may be arguable, he has fought some great fighters, including Leo Santa Cruz, Mario Barrios, Isaac Cruz and Ryan Garcia. Since that Garcia fight, though, fans have been left underwhelmed by his opponent choice. First, it was Frank Martin, and now it will be Lamont Roach Jr.
With fans wanting Davis to fight the truly elite boxers as he nears 30 years old, Davis has something else on his mind: retirement. It seems crazy to think about given that Tank is pretty much still in his prime, but Davis has brought up the very real possibility this week as he prepares to fight in March.
Why does Gervonta Davis want to retire so early?
While speaking to BoxingScene on Thursday, Davis took the opportunity to explain why he’s ready for a “break”.
I’ve been living on a fast pace for so long. It’s about time for me to, like, slow down and better myself other than boxing. If I can take this break and better myself as a person, as a father, as a brother, as everything, fix myself as a whole. I should do that… I could see that I could become a better person, but it’s not there yet. The person I can become, I can see it, but this is holding me up from getting that.
Davis mentions having to “build myself up and be angry to fight“. That need is a contradiction to himself, in his own words. Being able to step away from all of that seems to be what he feels he needs to be a better person.
Those are sobering words from a fighter who has always boxed with a chip on his shoulder, always aiming to knock out whoever is in front of him. If Davis doesn’t want to be that type of person anymore, boxing may very well see the last of him sooner than later.
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