Boxing fans are eagerly awaiting word on who will become the opponent for Gervonta Davis next fight. There is no specific opponent selected, fans now know the three-weight champion is set to fight next at 135.
Steven Espinoza, Showtime sports president, says the plan for Davis is to defend his WBA lightweight title in December. One likely opponent is mandatory challenger Rolly Romero.
Talk of a matchup between Gervonta Davis and former welterweight champion Keith Thurman entertained fans for weeks. But Espinoza feels Thurman possesses too much size for Tank to fight.
Rolly Romero may enjoy just as much of a size advantage over Tank as would Thurman in a fight. Romero is an inch taller than Thurman at five feet and eight inches tall. And in a video posted recently on social media, Romero weighed 180 pounds. Romero´s youth allows him to lose the weight necessary during fight preparations to fight at 135.
WBC super featherweight champion Gary Russel Jr. is also at the top of a shortlist of potential opponents for Gervonta Davis next fight. Russel has been vocal about his desire to fight Davis. He also represents a name fighter that could help sell a pay-per-view event.
Gervonta Davis took possession of a secondary WBA junior welterweight title in his last fight against Mario Barrios. The fight ended with an eleventh-round TKO for Davis.
The WBA is cleaning up its situation with excessive secondary titles. The association wants Davis to defend at either lightweight or junior welterweight, and vacate the other title. Gervonta Davis already vacated the ¨regular title he held at 130 pounds.
There are other big names available for Tank at the lightweight division over the next couple of years. Fans are hoping boxing politics do not get in the way. The big names that may one day face Davis for a lightweight title include Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, and Shakur Stevenson.