The IBF super featherweight world title is set to be defended this Saturday in England as champion Gervonta Davis travels over the pond to take on the challenge of Liam Walsh. Showtime will be airing the fight in the United States and there is a lot of interest behind the undefeated Davis (17-0).
Known as “Tank,” Davis won the belt in resounding fashion this past January when he knocked out then-unbeaten champion Jose Pedraza. Davis is a member of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s “The Money Team,” and after his world title fight, he was lauded by the future Hall of Famer who is also a mentor. Mayweather was asked if he considered Davis to be the future of boxing, and his answer was a resounding “Abso-F******-lutely.” Such a strong endorsement puts the spotlight firmly on Davis, and there is a long list of contenders that make for juicy matchups, but this fight is more about making a debut in the British market.
Meanwhile, Walsh has come up through the British system, and he has held British, Commonwealth and a pair of regional WBO belts to earn this world title shot. Back in October of 2016, Walsh defeated veteran Andrey Klimov of Russia to earn the title shot in a fight that saw Walsh win on the judges’ scorecards by a wide margin. Klimov was trying to bounce back from a loss to Jose Pedraza when Pedraza held the IBF world title, but Walsh dealt with him handily.
The bottom line is both fighters are entering the bout with something to prove. Davis now has a lot of hype behind him, and with 16 knockouts among his 17 wins, he is expected to put on a highlight-reel type of performance. The in-ring matchup will see both men line up as southpaws, and it will be Walsh with slight height and reach advantages.
However, Walsh is facing his first test at the world championship level, and he and his promoters have never seen him enter a fight as an underdog before. Despite the home-field advantage and a strong following, Walsh is a nearly 4-to-1 underdog heading into this one.
The card at the Copper Box is promoted by Queensberry Promotions and has 14 fights in all scheduled. Check back later in the week for line changes or to see if any of the other fights have been posted at Several Bookmakers.
Copper Box Arena – London, England
Super Featherweight – 12 rounds
Liam Walsh +350
Gervonta Davis -440
Featherweight – 12 rounds
Marco McCullough +525
Ryan Walsh -750
Light Heavyweight – 10 rounds
Anthony Yarde -5100
Chris Hobbs +1700
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