The focus of this week’s Boxing Flutter is on the return of Gervonta Davis. The unbeaten super-featherweight has received a lot of attention since turning pro in 2013, but under the tutelage of Floyd Mayweather has struggled for regular fights, stunting his growth in an exciting division of big-money fights.
He last fought in March of last year in a third round dissection of Jesus Cuellar. Defending his WBA strap in style, the 24-year-old made short work of the Argentine in a much expected knock-over job in New York.
It’s not all been Davis’ fault. Sure, his attitude and actions outside the ring have given him the unfavorable tag of being the “next Adrien Broner”, but his talent inside the ropes cannot be reduced to pure hyperbole. This bout this coming weekend was originally scheduled to be a fight against Abner Mares: the hard-hitting multi-weight world champion from Mexico. It turns out, Mares has suffered a detached retina in camp, understandably ruling him out of a dance with Davis.
So, the replacement. Hugo Ruiz. Nicknamed “Cuatito”, the 32-year-old Mexican will be looking to steal the world title away from “Tank” with just three weeks notice given for the fight; a huge mountain to climb for a guy with four defeats already to his name.
“We have already seen him fight, I do not rule out an upset, we can emerge victorious”, stated Ruiz at the fight press conference. “I can give him a real surprise in the ring. I’m a boxer with a punch and I can achieve a surprise at any time.”
Strong words from the Mexican, however, it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. Davis had a 2018 to forget, and despite the disappointment at not getting the Mares fight over the line, “Tank” should have full focus coming into this fight in California.
Davis has been in this position before. A late pullout before his fight on the Mayweather-McGregor undercard landed him in with underrated Costa Rican Francisco Fonseca. Davis played around in this fight and earned few fans in Las Vegas with the Tico taking the moral victory. This arrogance won’t go down well in Carson, with Ruiz better suited to steal the win.
Gervonta Davis to beat Hugo Ruiz by stoppage @ 1/5
Gervonta Davis round group betting – rounds 1-6 @ 4/5
It’s hard to squeeze value out of this market. Davis is – rightfully so – a huge favourite to get the win, and barring an injury, the champion should cruise to a defence. Mayweather Promotions are too savvy to put Davis’ unbeaten record and title in jeopardy to a “nobody”.
Davis is likely to take his further frustrations out on Ruiz and make an example of the Mexican. There will be limited showmanship from Gervonta, with the price of 1/5 the only real market worth looking at for Davis to get the stoppage. “Tank” is a big puncher at super-featherweight and is muscular and big for the weight, Ruiz is known more in the lower weight classes having fought a majority of his career at super-bantamweight. At 130-pounds, Davis should get Ruiz out of there early.
Davis will need to step up in 2019 if we are to begin to take his career more seriously; Saturday night will put him back onto the map.
