<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword> scored a frightening knockout Saturday over <keyword id="12470785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rolando-romero" source="Orion">Rolando Romero</keyword> in New York City.</li><li>The 27-year-old American separated Romero from his senses in the sixth round.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> finished lightweight rival <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/rolando-romero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolando Romero</a> in the sixth round of a <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> match Saturday at the Barclays Center in New York City.The manner in which Davis did so was frightening as he didn't simply knock Romero out — he seemingly knocked him into another dimension.All it took was one punch. One counter left hand that was timed so beautifully, it did not even need to be thrown full force."The crazy thing is that I didn't even throw it that hard," Davis said. "He just ran into it."It connected with Romero's chin, separated him from his senses, and dropped him in such dramatic fashion that he bounced off the ropes and onto the floor.Someway, somehow, Romero managed to get back up to his feet. The referee performed basic checks to ensure he had regained his wits but it was clear he hadn't.Romero had simply been reanimated. His legs remained wobbly and his eyes were all over the place. The wheel was spinning but the hamster was dead.Romero was done. It was over.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Al Dawson (@AlanDawsonSport) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1530773715507552257">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>The knockout punch had such a profound effect on him that when officials escorted him out of the ring before the result had been announced, it still seemed like he didn't even know where he was or what had just happened.For everyone else, it was clear what had happened. Davis, one of <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword>'s scariest punchers, had done it again.Watch the finish right here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1530777322906861569">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>The 27-year-old is one of the hottest attractions in all of the combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword>.He's a proven ticket seller regardless of whether he's competing in Baltimore, Atlanta, or Los Angeles. The Mayweather Promotions fighter attracts big crowds, just like he did in Brooklyn — with celebrities like Madonna and Tracy Morgan watching the show from ringside.Davis is also a staple on Showtime's pay-per-view division, with Showtime Sports boss Stephen Espinoza telling Insider earlier this month that the company is delighted with the increasing interest in the heavy-hitter.As for what's next, Romero — who had sufficiently recovered to attend the post-event press conference — told reporters that he had won every round and got caught. He began his campaign for a rematch."Shout out to him," Davis told reporters with a smile, laughing off the call-out.Romero could rebuild to get himself back into a position to fight someone like Davis.But, right now, greater challenges await Davis.He could box Gen-Z superstar Ryan Garcia, who was also ringside at the time. Or he could challenge the winner of the June 4 unification fight between George Kambosos Jr. and Devin Haney.Whether sporting politics get in the way of those bouts materializing remains unclear.But what is clear is this: After finishing the likes of Leo Santa Cruz, Mario Barrios, and now Romero, in the manner in which he did so, Davis is one of the scariest punchers in his sport.

Gervonta Davis proved he is one of the scariest punchers in boxing

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword> and <keyword id="12470785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rolando-romero" source="Orion">Rolando Romero</keyword> fight Saturday on Showtime pay-per-view.</li><li>Event organizers are expecting the savagery rather than the beauty of <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword> to unfold.</li></ul>The upcoming lightweight <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> match between <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> and Rolando Romero will be "pure, unadulterated violence," according to event organizers.Atop the 10-bout fight card is a 135-pound fight that has a built-in rivalry. Davis — a 27-year-old established combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> attraction — feels disrespected by 26-year-old Romero, who has seemingly insulted his opponent's intelligence, physique, and ability.It threatened to come to a head Friday at the pre-fight weigh-in when the Davis pushed Romero off the New York stage. As Romero got back to his feet, both fighters had to be separated so they didn't fight for free before their lucrative box office bout this weekend.The Mayweather Promotions bout takes place Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be broadcast on Showtime pay-per-view from 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.Saturday's showdown will be "a tremendous fight," according to Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who told Insider that he expects it to "end in a knockout because you've got two tremendous punchers."Ellerbe added: "What I'm very convinced of is Rolly's gonna bring out the best in Tank Davis, and I think that Tank's going to bring out the best of Rolly."Showtime Sports boss Stephen Espinoza said the bout is going to be fought with "a blunt instrument" rather than "precision surgery."Espinoza told Insider: "If I was trying to show off the artistic skill, the beauty, and the ballet of boxing, Davis vs. Romero would not be top of my list as Exhibit A. And that's not because it won't be entertaining, or a quality match-up, but because it's more like pure, unadulterated violence."And that's by design," Espinoza said. "There's a personal rivalry and it's one where they have a score to settle that has nothing to do with boxing. That often turns into one of the most brutal battles we get in this sport."Ellerbe added: "You're not gonna have a boxing match with two guys in a jabbing contest. This fight right here, you're not gonna see that. You're gonna see a barn burner from the opening bell."<h2>Gervonta Davis is 'phenomenal,' and an American superstar</h2><div type="image" title="Gervonta Davis." height="1334" width="2000" msid="91860069" hostid="261"></div>Davis is one of boxing's few pay-per-view stars and is a staple on Showtime's box office offering.His sellout shows in Baltimore, Atlanta, and now Brooklyn is a testament to his growth as a bona fide attraction at the gate."Every celebrity who normally watches fights and comes to the big events are gonna be there," Ellerbe said of his star fighter's ability to capture the imagination and attention of "NBA players, rappers, executives, and everyday people.""It's going to be a big-time event," Ellerbe said, adding that Davis is an American superstar "because we know what we're doing."Espinoza said Davis is "definitely building" when it comes to year-on-year growth as a pay-per-view commodity for his premium network."Tank is really phenomenal for someone who is a little bit shy outside the ring — his fanbase and popularity just keeps growing."We're well on track to be the biggest boxing gate ever at Barclays Center," Espinoza said.The broadcast executive said Davis has generated between $4 million and $4.5 million in ticket sales for fights in Atlanta and Los Angeles."He's well on his way to doing that level of gate at Barclays Center, too," he said. "There's very few fighters who can do that, who can go to multiple cities outside of their home area and pull that kind of fanbase at those ticket prices."Espinoza called Davis a "unicorn in that regard."All that's missing, for Espinoza, is "that big, signature fight."That could be "a unification fight against someone with a big name."Already regarded by those close to him as an American superstar, a victory in a world-class unification bout would "elevate Tank to a different stratosphere."But, first, Davis must defeat Romero in a grudge match.

The Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero fight will be 'pure, unadulterated violence,' according to organizers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Gervonta 'Tank' Davis vs. <keyword id="12470785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rolando-romero" source="Orion">Rolando Romero</keyword> fight has been axed.</li><li>This is because Romero is under police investigation regarding an alleged sexual assault.</li></ul>American puncher <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> will now fight <keyword id="12470784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="isaac-cruz" source="Orion">Isaac Cruz</keyword> in his December dust-up at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, an official statement sent to Insider confirmed Wednesday.The <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> superstar was originally scheduled to fight Mayweather Promotions and Premier <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">Boxing</keyword> Champions stablemate Rolando Romero.However, the 26-year-old lightweight was removed from the event because of an ongoing police investigation into an alleged sexual assault that took place in 2019, <a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/rolly-romero-removed-from-tank-davis-ppv-fight-sexual-assault-allegation--161677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to a Boxing Scene report</a>.The CBS-owned website reported that a 24-year-old woman named Izabel Zambrano, a "longtime acquaintance" of Romero's, gave a statement last week to the Henderson Police Department in Nevada.Romero has not been charged with a crime.He is under investigation for sexual assault, Boxing Scene said, and so event organizers sought a replacement opponent.Cruz will now fight Davis instead."God willing, I'll be world champion on December 5," Cruz said in a statement sent to Insider. "This fight is a very big motivation for me as a professional and as a personal goal."I'm sure after December 5 everyone in boxing will know the name Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz.''<h2>'Kudos to Isaac Cruz'</h2>Davis, who is one of boxing's great knockout artists, said he'll be looking to inflict maximum damage next month. "I come in looking for the knockout and that's exactly what I'm going to do in this fight," he said.The CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe, called Davis - his star fighter - a "generational talent who's only getting better."Tom Green of TGB Promotions added: "Kudos to Isaac Cruz for stepping in as a replacement opponent in a high-pressure, pay-per-view fight against one of the brightest stars in boxing in <keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword>."Cruz presents a different, and some would argue a more difficult challenge to Tank Davis. Cruz won't back down and he'll bring the fight to Davis from the opening bell."We've all seen Gervonta's blend of superb boxing skills and explosive power, and we know what he's capable of."It will be the irresistible force versus the immovable object, which means fireworks." The fight will be broadcast on pay-per-view on Showtime.

American puncher Gervonta Davis will now fight Isaac Cruz in a December dust-up

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US boxer Rolly Romero is one of many <keyword id="2831575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mayweather-Promotions">Mayweather Promotions</keyword> fighters who will soon return to the ring.</li><li>The 25-year-old's representative <keyword id="261849" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Leonard-Ellerbe">Leonard Ellerbe</keyword> said all his athletes will compete in coming months.</li><li>Ellerbe said he and Floyd Mayweather are interested in Rolly because he "talks a lot of [good] s---."</li></ul>American boxer Rolly Romero is one of many Mayweather Promotions athletes who will return to the ring in the coming months, according to the CEO <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/leonard-ellerbe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leonard Ellerbe</a>.The 25-year-old lightweight talks one of the best games in the entire sport as he says he can knock you out at will, has an aptly-named Twitter handle called <a href="https://twitter.com/SignUp4KOs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SignUp4KOs</a>, and has finished 11 of the 13 opponents he's beaten to date.Romero throws his punches with bad intentions and was last seen finishing Avery Sparrow in the seventh round of a January fight at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.Insider asked Ellerbe this week whether Romero will feature in the upcoming <keyword id="6362171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boxing">boxing</keyword> schedules, and he said: "All of my fighters will be fighting in the coming months."<h2>Ellerbe and Mayweather like Romero because of all the good s--- he talks</h2><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QOmrSIokP7c" frameborder="0"></iframe>This follows Ellerbe's recent comments, in which he waxed lyrical about the puncher's "tremendous talent" and his <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> brain.He told us last month: "He's very strong. He's been working on a lot of different things over the last six months, and improving his boxing IQ."He's doing a great job. I was impressed with his last performance [against Sparrow]. He fought the guy on short notice - a last-minute replacement opponent."I'm excited about him. He's got a tremendous amount of confidence and that's what I like about him. He talks a lot of s---, and me and Floyd [Mayweather] love that. Rolly wants to fight everybody."Mayweather Promotions has already <a href="https://www.insider.com/gervonta-davis-looks-to-knock-your-head-off-leonard-ellerbe-2021-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a June 26 pay-per-view show involving its marquee fighter Gervonta Davis</a>, who moves into the super lightweight division for a title bout against Mario Barrios.The fight takes place in Atlanta and will likely be one of the biggest boxing events of the summer.Erickson Lubin and Jeison Rosario compete in a super welterweight bout at the event, and Ellerbe told us he will begin booking his other fighters into spots on that show, and other dates in the upcoming months."We're not out the woods of the pandemic yet," said Ellerbe at the end of March. "We'll navigate through that, but provide them with big opportunities."

Trash-talking Rolly Romero is one of many Mayweather Promotions athletes set for a return to the ring in the next few months

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A fighter, who shares an uncanny resemblance to Muhammad Ali, continues to rack up wins in boxing.</li><li>Michel Rivera, 24, returned to the ring Saturday to comfortably outpoint Jerry Perez in Brooklyn.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/michel-rivera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michel Rivera</a>, a fighter who calls himself "the reincarnation of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/muhammad-ali" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Muhammad Ali</a>," is on the cusp of big things in <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a>.The 24-year-old lightweight returned to the ring Saturday for an eight-round decision win over Jerry Perez at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.Though he did not get the stoppage, Rivera scored a knockdown moments before the bell in the final round.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1581442752805752833">October 16, 2022</a></blockquote>The Dominican fighter landed 185 punches from 513 shots attempted which included 66 body shots, according to Compubox data sent to Insider.Rivera's victory advances his undefeated pro record to 24 wins, and the boxer continues his climb toward the highest echelon of the 135-pound division.<h2>Rivera continues to play on his likeness to Ali</h2><div type="image" title="Michel Rivera, boxing." height="1477" width="2000" msid="94927507" hostid="261" sizebytes="220244"></div>Insider said in 2021 that <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-muhammad-ali-lookalike-michel-rivera-adds-ko-to-reel-2021-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rivera was shaking up the combat sports world because of his flashy finishes, iconic hairstyle, and the shorts he wears</a> that are designed to bear comparison to Ali's outfits.Rivera again wore white shorts with black trim for his win over Perez, and it's something he'll likely continue to do as the bigger and more lucrative fights draw nearer.<a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/michel-rivera-i-take-care-perez-give-me-tank-haney--169723" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boxing Scene reported</a> that prior to his latest win, Rivera said he was targeting a big lightweight bout against <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> or Devin Haney."After this, give me Tank or Devin Haney," Rivera told the CBS-owned sports site. "I am better than both of them, and it will be proven when we fight."A match against Davis may take a while to book because <a href="https://www.insider.com/ryan-garcia-gervonta-davis-in-deep-talks-for-boxing-fight-2022-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four sources recently told Insider that organizers are "fairly close" to agreeing to a super fight</a> involving the knockout puncher against <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ryan-garcia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Garcia</a>.Haney, meanwhile, just beat George Kambosos Jr. to retain possession of the undisputed lightweight championship.It is likelier Premier Boxing Champions will look to match Rivera, who is currently ranked ninth by The Ring magazine, against a fellow PBC-affiliated fighter like Isaac Cruz or Rolando Romero.

A fighter who calls himself 'the reincarnation of Muhammad Ali' is on the cusp of big things in boxing

<ul class="summary-list"><li>There's mutual respect between the <keyword id="13294649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="errol-spence-jr-" source="Orion">Errol Spence Jr.</keyword> and <keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword> camps.</li><li>Davis promoter Leonard Ellerbe cites Spence as one of the faces of American <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword>.</li></ul>Thunderous puncher <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> is one of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/errol-spence-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Errol Spence Jr.</a>'s favorite boxers.Spence returns to the ring Saturday for a <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier Boxing Championship</a> event against <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/yordenis-ugas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yordenis Ugas</a> which is broadcast on Showtime pay-per-view from the AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.When <a href="https://www.insider.com/showtime-sports-announces-blockbuster-spring-summer-boxing-schedule-2022-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Showtime announced its spring and summer schedule</a>, 'Tank' Davis headlined the only other box office bout as he takes on Rolando Romero atop a Mayweather Promotions show May 28 at the Barclays Center in New York.Insider has frequently spoken to Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe. And whenever we talk about who the faces are for the sport in the US, Ellerbe is always quick to laud Spence.And so when Insider spoke to Spence recently, we found out that love is a two-way street as the welterweight champion hailed Tank as "a beast."Spence told us: "He's matured a lot and he's just a beast in the ring. Anybody who steps into the ring with him has serious problems."He's one of my favorite fighters to watch," Spence said. "He's very entertaining and always puts on a show when he fights. I love watching Tank fight."Spence's appreciation for Davis goes beyond Tank as a boxer."He's a cool dude and doesn't act Hollywood," said Spence. "He has a head like a normal person. He's chill. We've kicked it a bunch of times."Coach <keyword id="13633311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="derrick-james" source="Orion">Derrick James</keyword> shares his fighter's appreciation for Davis, who is unbeaten after 26 fights as a pro with wins over Jose Pedraza, Leo Santa Cruz, and Mario Barrios.Though he's not yet seen Davis fight live, James likes seeing Tank fight. "I'm a fan of his," said James."I like watching him fight and I think that he's shown in his last fight the levels of how good he is. Then, people were saying, 'He's a puncher, or he's this or he's that.'"But no — he showed his boxing ability and his depth. Which is really great to watch. I'm really happy for him. "<h2>Spence expects Davis to knockout Romero</h2><div type="image" title="Gervonta Davis smacks Mario Barrios en route to another knockout finish." height="1333" width="2000" msid="90886795" hostid="261"></div>Like Spence, Davis seems like he's close to a legacy-defining match.While Spence may be looking forward to exchanging blows with Terence Crawford, Davis is spoiled for choice when it comes to lightweight rivals as he shares a division with Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia, and Teofimo Lopez.But first, Davis must fight Rolly Romero. According to Spence, it's a fight Davis should win with relative ease."The Rolly fight is going to be dope just off the back that Rolly talks a lot of crap," said Spence. "Gervonta doesn't normally but when somebody talks crap about him he definitely going to say something back, so there'll be a lot of bad blood in that fight."Rolly reminds me of Vic Darchinyan. He's also the type of guy to throw power punches and Tank is the type of guy to throw power punches. Somebody is going to get knocked out in that fight, definitely."And I think it's going to be Rolly because Tank is the sharper fighter, the quicker fighter, and the more fundamentally-sound fighter."

When real recognizes real: Why Gervonta Davis is one of Errol Spence Jr.'s favorite fighters

<ul class="summary-list"><li>American fighter <keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword> is one of <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword>'s biggest attractions.</li><li>The thunderous puncher returns Saturday for the last fight on his Mayweather Promotions deal.</li></ul>Thunderous puncher <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> returns to the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> ring Saturday for what organizers are calling an explosive firefight against Rolando Romero, who is another heavy hitter in the lightweight division.One of the storylines coursing through the veins of this bout is that Davis may test free agency after the event, as this, according to Davis himself, is the last match on his deal with Las Vegas-based fight firm Mayweather Promotions.The former five-weight world champion boxer <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/floyd-mayweather" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Floyd Mayweather</a> has represented the fast-rising 135-pounder "Tank" Davis since 2015.With the help of Mayweather Promotions CEO <keyword id="13584423" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="leonard-ellerbe" source="Orion">Leonard Ellerbe</keyword>, Davis has established himself as one of the premier combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> attractions in the US.Davis is a staple on Showtime Sports and returns to the broadcaster's pay-per-view division for the Romero bout.Numerous publications have pointed to <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10032091-gervonta-davis-shades-floyd-mayweather-says-boxer-is-jealous-of-him-in-deleted-tweet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a perceived deterioration in Tank's relationship with Mayweather</a> in the build-up to this weekend's event.For industry insiders close to Davis and Mayweather, however, the apparent animosity is overblown."Those are two strong personalities," Showtime Sports boss <keyword id="13257598" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="stephen-espinoza" source="Orion">Stephen Espinoza</keyword> told Insider.Espinoza pointed to the career development that numerous fighters go through when they reach their mid-20s. It's all about "maturing and establishing themselves as a grown man in their careers."That means establishing who you are as a business person, what your image is, and your independence," said Espinoza. "Sometimes that means you're butting heads with the promoter."For Espinoza, if the promoter in this instance wasn't <keyword id="11955359" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="floyd-mayweather" source="Orion">Floyd Mayweather</keyword>, the speculation as to whether Davis will leave Mayweather and Ellerbe forever wouldn't be anywhere near as intense."You've got Floyd, Gervonta — two big names. Everything just gets magnified," Espinoza said. "I do think the animosity is a bit overblown."Speaking to Insider, Ellerbe agreed. "It is overblown because people don't know what goes on behind the scenes, and people just speculate," he said."Our focus, meanwhile, is making the biggest fights possible and putting our fighters in the best situation to be successful."<h2>'It's my career,' Davis said</h2><div type="image" title="Leonard Ellerbe pictured alongside Gervonta Davis in 2021." height="1542" width="2000" msid="91843663" hostid="261"></div>Tank himself appears undecided about his plans going forward.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqL7SymvoQk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">To Brian Custer on The Last Stand podcast</a>, Davis said: "It's my career, so I feel as though I need to be the one that controls [it]. It's time."Everybody don't need to have them training wheels on them forever," he continued. "It's time to ride their own bike without training wheels."Speaking to reporters later, Davis was asked about his comments to Custer. "I didn't say I was leaving," he said. "I said my contract was up."He then confirmed there's a possibility he'd re-sign with Ellerbe and Mayweather, before adding: "I still feel I've got the best team in boxing as far as Mayweather Promotions, Al Haymon, and my personal team."Whatever decision we make after this; I'm all for it. We come up with the best plans together as a team."On whether Tank will indeed test free agency, Espinoza told Insider that he thinks "it's a good question."Espinoza said: "Tank is entitled to explore all the opportunities that are open to him, but it's tough to argue with the results that have been achieved so far."If there are things that need to be straightened out — personal or professional relationships — that's always possible."But looking at the landscape … it's tough to say there's a group that would do a better job on Gervonta Davis than Mayweather Promotions has done to this point."I understand sometimes that Tank feels like he wants to stand on his own two feet and not always be associated with Floyd, but that's part of every boxer's career."They want more independence and economy in how they run their business and their careers. But that doesn't mean the end of the relationship."Davis and Romero headline Saturday's 10-bout fight card. The pay-per-view section of the show begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Animosity between Gervonta Davis and Floyd Mayweather is overblown, 2 boxing insiders say

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11901215" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="naomi-osaka" source="Orion">Naomi Osaka</keyword> was at New York's Barclays Center when a loud noise sparked fears of an active shooter.</li><li>The <keyword id="11897437" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tennis" source="Orion">tennis</keyword> star wrote on Twitter that she was "petrified" during the resulting stampede.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/naomi-osaka">Naomi Osaka</a> has described being "petrified" during a stampede at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, when fears of a nearby active shooter sparked mass panic. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/29/nyregion/barclays-shooting-panic.html">According to the New York Times,</a> 10 people were injured in the early hours when a loud noise heard on the street outside incited panic among those leaving <a href="https://www.insider.com/gervonta-davis-is-the-scariest-puncher-in-combat-sports-2022-5">a boxing match between Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero.</a>The sound prompted people to frantically start running back into the venue, resulting in a stampede in which a number of individuals were knocked to the ground and trampled.The police investigated and determined that no shots had been fired, but could not find the source of the noise, The New York Times reports.Osaka was at the Barclays Center at the time with her rapper boyfriend Cordae and the tennis star shared her experience of the incident on social media."I was just in the Barclays center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running, then we were being yelled at that there was an active shooter and we had to huddle in a room and close the doors," the 24-year-old tweeted early Sunday morning. "I was so fucking petrified man."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1530786693825146880">May 29, 2022</a></blockquote>In a second tweet later on Sunday evening, <a href="https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1531010348651880449/photo/1">Osaka then shared her feelings in more detail,</a> suggesting that the regularity of mass shootings in the United States led her to fear she was part of another.There have been <a href="https://www.insider.com/number-of-mass-shootingsin-america-this-year-2022-5">214 mass shootings in the US so far in 2022.</a>On Tuesday, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school, while in early May, a white gunman killed 10 people in a racially motivated massacre at a Buffalo supermarket. In April, a gunman opened fire on a subway train in Brooklyn, injuring 23 people."This feeling of familiarity towards these frequent devastating situations might be exclusive to people living in America but the emotions I experienced in those few minutes I was waiting in that room is something I wouldn't want anyone to go through," she wrote."I cannot imagine a future if this continues, something has to evolve and hopefully it will be for the better because [this] should not be deemed normal."This is insanity."

Naomi Osaka describes being 'petrified' while caught in a stampede at the Barclays Center caused by fears of an active shooter

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11572409" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="michel-rivera">Michel Rivera</keyword> added another knockout to his highlight reel Saturday in California.</li><li>The young boxer is attracting headlines for more than his fighting prowess, though.</li><li>This is because he looks, and dresses, like a young <keyword id="84333" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Muhammad-Ali">Muhammad Ali</keyword>.</li></ul>A 23-year-old boxer who looks just like Muhammad Ali won a spectacular knockout Saturday in America.Meet Michel Rivera, a Dominican lightweight who is building a considerable name for himself because of his unbeaten run, 21-fight winning streak, and La Zarza Ali nickname.With his high-fade haircut, slender athletic build, and white shorts with black trim, fight fans would be forgiven for thinking they've gone back in time to see a late-1960s Ali.But Rivera is fighting in the 21st century, scoring impressive victories during live broadcasts on the premium US network Showtime.In his latest win, Rivera trounced Jon Fernandez at the Dignity Health <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">Sports</keyword> Park in Carson, California.Rivera outlanded his opponent in every round of the fight. He scored a contentious knockdown, got a legitimate knockdown in the sixth, and then closed the show for good in the eighth.Rivera, in total, landed 138 shots from 372 dispatched for a 37.1% punch accuracy, compared with the 63 from 384 that Fernandez threw for a 16.4% accuracy rate, according to CompuBox data sent to Insider.Watch the knockout right here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-SHOWTIME <keyword id="6362171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boxing">Boxing</keyword> (@ShowtimeBoxing) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1411521691201724417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2021</a></blockquote>"I'm so excited and beyond happy to get this win," Rivera said in a statement sent to Insider. "Fernandez was a strong, experienced opponent that forced me to change the game plan I had going in."I knew since the first round that I would have to be careful with him. He had heavy hands and was taller than me, but I was faster and more skilled overall."With his latest success, Rivera advanced his pro boxing record to 21 wins (14 knockouts).He is now targeting big fights against his fellow Premier Boxing Champions stablemates Rolando Romero and Gervonta Davis."I want the fight with Rolando Romero next," Rivera said. "Once I do face him, I would like to go up against Gervonta Davis or Teofimo Lopez."

A 23-year-old boxer who looks just like Muhammad Ali delivered a spectacular knockout win in California

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two of the faces of American <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword> return to the ring in separate bouts in the months ahead.</li><li><keyword id="13294649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="errol-spence-jr-" source="Orion">Errol Spence Jr.</keyword> and <keyword id="11922739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gervonta-davis" source="Orion">Gervonta Davis</keyword> headline pay-per-view fights on Showtime <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">Sports</keyword>.</li></ul>LAS VEGAS — Two faces of American <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> return this summer in separate showdowns, as Showtime Sports announces its schedule of fights for the months ahead.<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/errol-spence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Errol Spence Jr.</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a>, two of the biggest box-office draws in the business, headline a nine-event run, which the premium broadcaster organized with key partner Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).<keyword id="13391502" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jermell-charlo" source="Orion">Jermell Charlo</keyword> competes in a rare undisputed match; his brother <keyword id="13391503" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jermall-charlo" source="Orion">Jermall Charlo</keyword> boxes once again on the Juneteenth weekend; and <keyword id="13391504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="david-benavidez" source="Orion">David Benavidez</keyword> fights an accomplished veteran.Showtime and PBC take their show to multiple key territories, including Minneapolis, Arlington, and New York.Here's the schedule, which Insider confirmed Tuesday:<ul><li>March 26: Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha — to determine WBO super welterweight mandatory challenger, in Minneapolis<ul><li>Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno — lightweight fight</li><li>Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco — super lightweight fight</li></ul></li><li>April 9: Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora — super welterweight title eliminator, in Las Vegas<ul><li>Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia — super welterweight fight</li><li>Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella — super welterweight fight</li></ul></li><li>April 16: Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas — WBA, WBC, and IBF world welterweight unification, in Arlington, Texas, on pay-per-view<ul><li>Supporting fights to be announced</li></ul></li><li>May 14: Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano — WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF world super welterweight unification, in Carson, Calif.<ul><li>Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton — welterweight fight</li></ul></li><li>May 21: David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux — super middleweight fight, Glendale, Ariz.<ul><li>Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota — super welterweight</li></ul></li><li>May 28: Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero — WBA lightweight title, in New York on pay-per-view<ul><li>Supporting fights to be announced</li></ul></li><li>June 4: Stephen Fulton vs. Danny Roman — WBC, WBO super bantamweight title fight, in Minneapolis<ul><li>David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson — WBA super middleweight world title fight</li></ul></li><li>June 18: Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki — WBC middleweight title, in Houston <ul><li>Supporting fights to be announced</li></ul></li><li>July 9: Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas — WBC featherweight world title fight, in San Antonio<ul><li>Supporting fights to be announced</li></ul></li></ul>For Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza, "It's a good time to be a boxing fan."<div type="image" title="Showtime Sports boss Stephen Espinoza." height="1000" width="2000" msid="90232866" hostid="261"></div>Showtime offers varied combat sports programming including ShoBox, which features up-and-coming athletes; Showtime Championship Boxing; Showtime pay-per-view; and even Bellator MMA — home of high-flying featherweight fighter A.J. McKee.Spence and Davis are two of America's best, and most popular, prizefighters.But beyond the marquee names are multiple competitors trying to climb to the highest echelons, like Stephen Fulton — who, last year, was in the running for Fighter of the Year — exciting puncher Jaron Ennis, and David Benavidez, who has been vying for a fight with No. 1 boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.Espinoza said: "We continue to grow the sport at every level, from our grassroots series ShoBox to crowning an undisputed champion at 154 pounds, to a high-stakes unification showdown between Errol Spence and Yordenis Ugas, to the return of young superstars Tank Davis, Jaron Ennis, and Stephen Fulton."Jermall Charlo, who fights for the second time on Juneteenth weekend, will have Maciej Sulecki opposite the ring from him, after his handlers attempted to book him a bout against Jaime Munguia.PBC and Showtime organized the first major boxing event on Juneteenth, last year, and told Insider at the time that they were looking to make it an annual show that celebrates Black American fighters akin to big fights for Mexican boxers on Cinco de Mayo.Showtime and TGB Promotions, on behalf of PBC, had been in negotiation with Golden Boy Promotions for a Charlo bout involving unbeaten star Munguia.A sticking point, <a href="https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/33486063/sources-jermall-charlo-jaime-munguia-talks-collapse-due-fight-us-broadcast-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN</a>, regarded the platform on which the bout would air. Golden Boy wanted DAZN involved for a joint pay-per-view.Talks for that fight are over, for now at least, and so Showtime pushed ahead with its broadcast announcement, and wants to draw eyes to the breadth of the programming."When you consider the competitive nature of the matchups, the star power, and youthful vitality, it's never been clearer that Showtime is the destination for the most compelling fights," Espinoza said.<a target="_merchant" href="https://www.showtime.com/"><img src="https://i.insider.com/5e1f854a24306a23d171a16c" /></a><a target="_merchant" href="https://www.showtime.com/">Showtime Monthly Streaming Subscription</a><a target="_merchant" href="https://www.showtime.com/">$11.99 FROM SHOWTIME</a><a target="_merchant" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/offers/signup?ie=UTF8&amp;benefitID=showtimeSub">$10.99 FROM AMAZON</a> <hr />

Showtime Sports announces blockbuster spring and summer boxing schedule

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia on April 22 in Las Vegas will be one of the year's big boxing events.</li><li>The fight, which will air on Showtime Sports PPV, will be a glamorous and celebrity-studded affair.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/gervonta-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gervonta Davis</a> made <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ryan-garcia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Garcia</a> wait a couple of hours as the lightweight boxer turned up late to Wednesday's press conference in New York City wearing a brightly-colored fur coat while clutching a designer handbag.Fight fans have been waiting months, if not years, for a mega-fight like this to get booked so a little delay didn't really matter.<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boxing</a> rarely gets as big as it will get in the build-up to the 136-pound showdown on April 22 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas."This is the biggest fight that boxing can make," Garcia, 24, told Insider this week."It's the type of event that gets fans really excited, and we haven't seen this type of match for some time," Stephen Espinoza, the president of Showtime Sports and a key organizer of the event, said in an interview with Insider.The show brings together two of the most popular fighters in the modern era — a mini <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mike-tyson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Tyson</a> in "Tank" Davis, 28, against the explosive Amir Khan-esque speed of "KingRy" Garcia.It's a dream match."It's going to be massive," Espinoza continued. Though no legitimate championship is on the line, there are arguably even greater stakes at play.Whoever wins will be regarded as the face of the sport, and the go-to athlete to grace the covers of everything from magazines to video games.These are fighters who are beginning to transcend the sport already as they're on the phone lists of rappers, influencers, and high-stakes poker players.A victory next month — in front of an event in which celebrities will no doubt dress to the nines — raises their name value even further in the mainstream consciousness."If he we go by the unofficial indicators like ticket requests, we're off to a really hot start," Espinoza told Insider. "I've been flooded with requests from celebrities, athletes, and everyone else since the fight was announced."This is the hottest ticket in town, and for Garcia's promoter <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/oscar-de-la-hoya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscar de la Hoya</a>, who spoke to reporters in Los Angeles on Thursday to complete a two-city promo tour this week, it's "what boxing is all about."<h2>How this fight came to be while others seemed to fail</h2><div type="image" title="Gervonta Davis." height="1333" width="2000" msid="98570278" hostid="261" sizebytes="149474"></div>Insider reported last year that two super fights to transcend the sport were being negotiated.<a href="https://www.insider.com/category/terence-crawford" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terence Crawford</a> vs. <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/errol-spence-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Errol Spence Jr.</a>, which would have brought together America's two best boxers to determine a No.1 fighter at welterweight — if not the entire sport — <a href="https://www.insider.com/errol-spence-jr-says-terence-crawford-definitely-happens-this-year-2022-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was one</a> of those fights.Davis vs. Garcia, which showcases two prominent and unbeaten fighters in their 20s colliding in potentially explosive fashion, is another.The former <a href="https://www.insider.com/spence-crawford-how-boxings-biggest-fight-collapsed-at-final-hour-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saw one of the fighters, Crawford, walk away from a deal he proposed</a>, per two Insider sources at the time.This blindsided Spence's representatives as Crawford signed a one-fight deal with start-up company BLK Prime to instead compete against European boxer David Avanesyan.The difference between that fight and the Davis and Garcia bout was that these two fighters always wanted to compete against one another, sources told Insider.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Al Dawson (@AlanDawsonSport) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1634220206179651585">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote>Regardless, there were still obstacles to overcome as the negotiations involved rival representatives — Premier Boxing Champions and Golden Boy Promotions — and rival broadcasters in Showtime Sports and DAZN.A representative of Davis' at the time, Leonard Ellerbe, had numerous meetings with Golden Boy President Eric Gomez in Los Angeles to smooth the boxing side of the negotiation, according to two Insider sources.Gomez even confirmed to Insider in October that <a href="https://www.insider.com/ryan-garcia-gervonta-davis-in-deep-talks-for-boxing-fight-2022-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they were in "deep talks" to make the super-fight</a> a reality.Once they agreed to a deal in principle, executives at Showtime and DAZN had to get on the same page regarding the broadcast of the event, and how best to deliver the pay-per-view.Showtime will lead the pay-per-view with its commentary team, with DAZN broadcasting it on its platform, too.<h2>There were times Garcia feared negotiations for his fight would fail</h2><div type="image" title="Ryan Garcia." height="1333" width="2000" msid="98570280" hostid="261" sizebytes="125396"></div><a href="https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/35603864/plans-bout-davis-garcia-not-complete" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN reported</a> in February that concerns over a rematch clause held up the announcement of a deal. It all, allegedly, came down to which side would control the second fight — if there ever was one.According to sources Insider spoke to at the time, that was never an impediment to the fight happening as planned to all of whom had knowledge of the situation.Depending on whether one spoke to people on the Golden Boy-DAZN side of things, or on the PBC-Showtime side, the complete deal — at that point — was either "99% done" or "done, done."Regardless, there were times when Garcia himself lost confidence the fight would materialize. "The truth is I was on board right away for this fight. But, sometimes, I had a little doubt," it would happen, he told Insider.Garcia said he was frustrated Tank's team took a fight in January, when he wanted his own "stay-busy" bout against Maxi Hughes around October."They decided if I do that, I wouldn't fight in December," said Garcia. "But then come December, he gets a fight in January" against Hector Luis Garcia, who he beat in emphatic fashion.Ryan Garcia also said there was a discrepancy between the agreed-upon weight. Garcia's last fight — a dominant knockout win over Javier Fortuna in July 2022 — was at 140 pounds.He said that the deal for the fight against Davis, who competes at 135 pounds, was initially designed for them to meet in the middle "at 138 pounds, or 137."But then, a week later, Garcia got a phone call. "No," Garcia said he was told. "We have to do it at 136."Garcia relented, and said he agreed to a rehydration clause of 10 pounds that limits the amount he's allowed to weigh on the day of the fight.For Tank, <a href="https://twitter.com/Sean_Zittel/status/1634258621709287425" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as told to Fight Hype correspondent Sean Zittel</a>, this is because he's the star of the show.As the so-called A-side, he can dictate certain stipulations. It's his terms, or else.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Sean Zittel (@Sean_Zittel) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1634258621709287425">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote>For Garcia, though, "that's clown energy.""They tried to discourage me from taking this fight. Or, maybe they just felt like they needed that type of advantage," he said."I think he's trying to strip my strength away but my strength doesn't come from weight, it comes from within. And he'll see that very soon," Garcia continued.<h2>The protracted negotiations had other implications, too</h2><div type="image" title="Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia." height="1333" width="2000" msid="98570281" hostid="261" sizebytes="110340"></div>The hold-up meant executives at Showtime were loathed to release their widely-anticipated schedule of boxing events for the second quarter, an Insider source with knowledge of the situation revealed.There were conversations at the top of the company that said if they released the schedule without Tank vs. Garcia then they'd risk fan disappointment when there was so much expectation that this bout was being delivered.Ultimately, the broadcaster waited until it was finally over the line to unveil the rest of their calendar — which included an extraordinary nine events in 11 weeks through to April 22.Here are just five marquee offerings:<ul><li>March 11 — Tim Tszyu vs. Tony Harrison — Sydney, Australia</li><li>March 25 — David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant — Las Vegas, Nevada</li><li>April 11 — Sebastian Fundora vs. Brian Mendoza — Carson, California</li><li>April 22 — Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia — Las Vegas, Nevada</li><li>May 13 — Alberto Puello vs. Rolando Romero — TBD</li></ul>Davis also had what Garcia described as "legal difficulties."In December, just days before Davis defeated Hector Luis Garcia, he was <a href="https://www.insider.com/gervonta-davis-arrested-and-jailed-on-domestic-violence-charge-2022-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested and jailed in Florida on a domestic violence charge</a>.The woman involved reportedly withdrew her accusation and shared in a social media post that her call to law enforcement was "unnecessary," <a href="https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2022/12/31/23533668/gervonta-davis-accuser-walks-balk-domestic-violence-claims-boxing-crime-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as per Bloody Elbow</a>.In February, Davis pleaded guilty to a separate case for a hit-and-run crash in November 2020 that left a pregnant woman and three other people injured, <a href="https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/35672908/gervonta-davis-pleads-guilty-hit-run-case-sentencing-may" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN</a>.Insider spoke to a source close to Davis who said ahead of the fighter's plea that they were confident the court date was never going to compromise the anticipated April showdown with Garcia.Garcia told Insider this week that he wasn't "going to speak" further on those legal difficulties, or "talk down on him about that."<h2>Good things come to those who wait</h2><div type="image" title="The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas." height="1331" width="2000" msid="98570282" hostid="261" sizebytes="153362"></div>Despite the rival representatives, broadcast partners, and the numerous hurdles to clear boxing's biggest event of the year, the April 22 show is a go.Though the fight landed at the T-Mobile Arena, which is home to the NHL team the Golden Knights, Insider learned midway through the protracted negotiation period that the Allegiant Stadium was in play.For a boxing show, the Allegiant — home to NFL side Las Vegas Raiders — could host over 70,000 fans.According to Insider's sources, organizers contemplated a big stadium show, a more intimate venue like the 15,000-capacity MGM Grand Garden Arena, or the T-Mobile Arena.A possible issue with the Raiders Stadium is that bizarrely for a huge venue, the revenue from the gate could be lower than if it were held at a smaller arena like the MGM Grand, where each ticket could cost a helluva lot more.Casinos also offer financial incentives to lure event organizers into their properties, as it ensures tens of thousands of people are at their resort, spending money prior to the event, going for lunch or dinner, and then gambling.Should a show take place slightly away from the Vegas Strip at the Allegiant, there's a logistical issue of how a casino transports its high rollers to that venue. Even more of an issue is ensuring those high rollers return to the casino.According to one Insider source, conversations take place with fancier or larger venues but oftentimes just end up back at the MGM Grand because of that reason.This time, though, it was different. Espinoza told Insider that the T-Mobile Arena was "very aggressive in stepping up and saying they wanted the fight."Espinoza is one of the few people in the business who has helped organize combat sports events that generate hundreds of millions of dollars.Considering his prior success, we asked the corporate executive if he had any prediction for how well the Davis vs. Garcia show could fare at the gate, and on pay-per-view."Candidly, I don't like to predict," he said, shutting the question down. "But it's been a while since we've seen something like this."<h2>Espinoza said his phone has blown up with celebrity requests for tickets</h2><div type="image" title="Stephen Espinoza." height="1333" width="2000" msid="98570284" hostid="261" sizebytes="76528"></div>For Espinoza, bringing Davis and Garcia together has unique advantages because they have "two of the larger fanbases in the sport."He said: "They're undefeated, in their prime or just entering their primes, and it's one of those right fights at the right time scenarios."He said his phone has blown up with celebrity ticket requests, which is something that only really happens when an event breaks into the mainstream.This is similar to what happened with Floyd Mayweather's boxing exhibition with Logan Paul, which Showtime broadcast in 2021, or when Mayweather fought Conor McGregor, Manny Pacquiao, or Canelo, all on Showtime."The good thing is when we have these fights in the first half of the year, we see a lot more NFL players because, from July through December, they're a little bit off-limits given their training and schedule," Espinoza said."Anecdotally, the NFL is going to be in full force because that's been the majority of the outreach by this point," he continued."But we've also got a number of high-level music acts," he said, "who are going to maneuver from performances at Coachella — in some cases that day — to fly in and make the fight that evening.""So when you get an opportunity like this, people will go to all kinds of lengths to make sure they're inside the venue to make the fight," he added.<h2>It's the fight to save boxing, Garcia told Insider</h2><div type="image" title="Ryan Garcia." height="1334" width="2000" msid="98570286" hostid="261" sizebytes="47990"></div>Davis, Garcia, Premier Boxing Champions, Golden Boy Promotions, Showtime Sports, and DAZN, have provided a critical case study as to how boxing's biggest events can work even when numerous parties are involved.Garcia told Insider he believes it's a fight that revives the sport."What I found out through this process is there's a way to work with yourself, with your ego. You can make anything happen. And that's what I accepted," Garcia said.He continued: "I've seen this problem and nobody has really done anything about it. They just talk about it. But I really wanted to put my words into action, and I wasn't going to let the fans down."The late television boxing analyst Larry Merchant once quipped that: "Nothing will kill boxing, and nothing can save it."Fights like this, though, certainly help to keep it alive.

Inside the making of Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia — a mega-fight that helps save the sport of boxing

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="7411134" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Yordenis-Ugas">Yordenis Ugas</keyword> threw more punches in 11 of 12 rounds, out-landed his opponent in every round, and was seen to dominate in his WBA title fight against Abel Ramos on Sunday.</li><li>However, the ringside judges only narrowly awarded him a victory, with one judge even scoring it in favor of Ramos.</li><li>While the result was ultimately correct, the closeness of the decision brings to light how bad judging continues to plague <keyword id="6362171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boxing">boxing</keyword> at the highest of levels.</li><li>One prominent boxing reporter said the judge who awarded Ramos the win, should be "disqualified" from officiating a combat <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> event again.</li></ul>Yordenis Ugas out-punched his opponent in every round of a world title fight, but questionable officiating almost cost him the win, bringing to light a major problem in the highest levels of boxing.The 34-year-old Cuban fought Abel Ramos for the vacant WBA welterweight title — one level below full world championship status — during a behind-closed-doors <keyword id="9692340" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="premier-boxing-champions">Premier Boxing Champions</keyword> event Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.Ugas threw more shots than Ramos in 11 of the 12 rounds, landed more punches in every round, and set a personal best record for jabs landed (160) according to Compubox data sent to Insider.Ugas controlled much of the fight with a pin-point double jab, a jab counter jab, and the defensive placement of his gloves and body which thwarted much of his opponent's attack, save for a late rally from Ramos.Punch statistics indicated one-way traffic for Ugas, who landed 233 shots out of 768 attempts (30.3% accuracy) against Ramos' 109 of 626 (17.45).<div type="image" title="Ugas punch statistics Compubox" height="1124" width="825" msid="77977677" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/yordenis-ugas-dominates-abel-ramos-captures-wba-regular-title--151535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boxing Scene senior reporter Jake Donovan</a> called it domination — a viewpoint shared by Insider — yet the judges viewed it differently, only awarding Ugas a split decision with scores of 115-113 (twice) and, even more bizarrely, 117-111 to Ramos.Donovan said the whole fight was "horribly-scored."Donovan wrote: "Dr. Lou Moret's card of 117-111 in favor of Ramos should disqualify him from ever again officiating a contest."Though the correct fighter won on this occasion, elite boxing is often plagued by bad, errant, or downright incompetent judging.Just last month the lightweight fighter Rolando Romero was the benificiary of dubious scoring when he won the interim WBA lightweight title against Jackson Marinez, who complained post-fight of "pure robbery," <a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/rolando-romero-smiles-im-champ-now-im-happy--150985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boxing Scene reported at the time</a>.The boxing blog <a href="https://www.badlefthook.com/2020/8/16/21371186/wba-consider-rolando-romero-vs-jackson-marinez-rematch-robbery-decision-showtime-boxing-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Left Hook added</a> that the decision was "unanimously ridiculed," forcing the WBA to consider a rematch.Read more:<a href="https://www.insider.com/video-jamel-herring-retained-his-world-title-via-disqualification-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An American boxing champion won a title fight because his opponent wouldn't stop head-butting him, and was disqualified</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-jesse-rodriguez-20-scores-3-knockdowns-in-first-round-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 20-year-old American called Jesse Rodriguez bulldozed through an older opponent, knocking him down 3 times and out for good in the first round</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-alistair-overeem-score-bloody-ground-and-pound-knockout-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alistair Overeem split his heavyweight opponent's head open, scoring a bloody KO win with nasty ground-and-pound</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/watch-ovince-saint-preux-score-cold-blooded-one-punch-knockout-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A former UFC light heavyweight title challenger scored a cold-blooded one-punch KO at a behind-closed-doors event in Las Vegas</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/mike-tyson-said-possibility-he-could-hurt-somebody-is-orgasmic-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Tyson said he struggled with the possibility that hurting somebody in boxing could be 'orgasmic'</a>

You Searched For "rolando romero" and got 12 results

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When real recognizes real: Why Gervonta Davis is one of Errol Spence Jr.'s favorite fighters

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Animosity between Gervonta Davis and Floyd Mayweather is overblown, 2 boxing insiders say

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Naomi Osaka describes being 'petrified' while caught in a stampede at the Barclays Center caused by fears of an active shooter

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A 23-year-old boxer who looks just like Muhammad Ali delivered a spectacular knockout win in California

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Showtime Sports announces blockbuster spring and summer boxing schedule

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Inside the making of Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia — a mega-fight that helps save the sport of boxing

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Yordenis Ugas out-punched his opponent in every round of a world title fight, but was almost robbed of a win by the judges

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