The story of the tape
Heading into tonight’s main event, the fighters’ strengths are as follows: Davis and Martin both weighed in safely under the lightweight limit of 135 pounds, and while Martin will enjoy a 2.5-inch height advantage, the stocky-built Davis is used to being the smaller man.
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Hello and welcome to tonight’s WBA lightweight championship fight between Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin. The popular Davis, a Baltimore native unbeaten in 29 professional fights, is back in action for the first time since last year’s seventh-round knockout of Ryan Garcia, which appeared to confer his status as the face of American boxing. He will be defending his title at 135lbs against Martin, an undefeated challenger from Indianapolis.
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Most boxing fans would rather see Davis in with the other stars at or around his weight class like Devin Haney or Shakur Stevenson. Those fights may happen, but for now we’ll settle for Martin, who has done nothing but defeat the names in front of him while building a record of 18-0 with 12 knockouts.
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One bout of note on the undercard is a title fight scheduled for 12 rounds between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight strap. That should be under way in the next 15 minutes or so. Then it will be time for the main event.
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Plenty more to come.
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Important Events
Davis last played 14 months ago. His firing comes in part because he pleaded guilty last year to charges stemming from a hit-and-run crash that left four people, including a pregnant woman, hospitalized. Sentenced to 90 days of home detention At the trainer’s house.
A judge ruled in June that Davis violated the terms of his house arrest after moving into a luxury hotel and then a new home, but he was released from a Baltimore jail in July after spending 44 days in custody.
Now the 29-year-old southpaw, one of America’s greatest athletes and an unrepentant abuser of women with a well-documented history of gender-based violence, is ready to get his career back on track.
“I’ve been working hard and concentrating on this for a long time now,” Davis said. “I’m going to give back with a great performance on Saturday night.”
Alberto Puello defeated Gary “Antuan” Russell by split decision. One of the judges scored the fight 118-109 in favor of Russell, but the other two judges scored the fight 115-112 and 114-113 in favor of Puelo, handing Russell his first loss in his 18 professional fights.
preamble
Hello and welcome to tonight’s WBA lightweight championship fight between Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin. Davis, a popular boxer from Baltimore who is undefeated in 29 professional fights, returns to action for the first time since knocking out Ryan Garcia in the seventh round last year, a fight that seemed to cement his place as the face of American boxing. Davis will defend his 135-pound title against Martin, an undefeated challenger from Indianapolis.
Many boxing fans would love to see Davis face a star in his or a similar weight class, such as Devin Haney or Shakur Stevenson, and while that fight could happen, for now we’ll look to Martin, who has put down every big name in his path while building an 18-0 record with 12 knockouts.
The headline bout on the undercard will be a 12-round title fight between David Benavidez and Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight title, scheduled to last about 15 minutes, followed by the main event.
There’s still plenty more.
Brian will be here soon. For now, let’s take a look at Friday’s eventful weigh-in.
