Gervonta Davis’ power is for real.
Uppercuts aren’t just for head shots, you know.
Gervonta Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) moved up to 140 lbs for the first time in his career and had a tough time against Mario Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs), but his power is for real and it can carry all the way up to junior welterweight.
In front of over 16,000 fans in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, ‘Tank’ took Barrios’ WBA ‘regular’ junior welterweight crown with a scintillating 11th round TKO. If the start of the fight was tepid and gave Barrios the early advantage, the back-half of the fight was excellent stuff from both men. Barrios did some great work to Davis’ body, but unfortunately for him it was Davis’ body shot that sealed it.
In the penultimate frame, a lethal uppercut had Barrios doubled over in pain and down. He beat the count but when he got up he ate a left hand upstairs, wobbled and doubled over again and the referee stopped the fight at the 2:13 mark.
Watch the video below:
.@Gervontaa is a PROBLEM. Tank remains undefeated and becomes a 3-division world champ with a vicious body shot.#DavisBarrios pic.twitter.com/IbFSqeuSF7
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 27, 2021
We know Davis’ uppercut to the head collapsed Leo Santa Cruz last October in astonishing fashion, but taking one to the body? You feel that pain.
Davis dropped Barrios twice in Round 8 with a right hook and then again on a left immediately after getting up. He got a little wild searching for the finish and Barrios did well to recover and have his own moments of offensive success, but his firepower is not in Gervonta’s league.
Yeah, Davis won a secondary belt and any person with a brain knows Josh Taylor is the king of the 140 lbs division, but now options have opened up for Davis anywhere from 130-140. We’ll see what awaits him next.