Two-time Super Featherweight World Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis participated in an open to the public workout on Thursday evening at his Baltimore training camp where he donated tickets to a local charity for his homecoming title defense against mandatory challenger Ricardo “Cientifico” Núñez on Saturday, July 27 live on SHOWTIME from Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Davis donated 100 tickets to the staff and beneficiaries at WIN Family Services. WIN (What I Need) is a Baltimore-based organization that helps “support and strengthen youth, families, organizations and communities through the creation of innovative services, products and initiatives.”
Also in attendance at the media workouts were fighters competing on the July 27 undercard including unbeaten welterweight prospect Richardson Hitchins, super lightweight Kareem Martin, Baltimore super featherweight Malik Warren and unbeaten super lightweight prospect Malik Hawkins.
Hitchins will take on Tyrone Crawley in a fight that will be featured on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN beginning live at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME Sports social media platforms.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will feature the youngest reigning American world champion in Davis, as he becomes the first titlist from Baltimore to make a homecoming defense in nearly 80 years.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the Royal Farms Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET.
Here is what he said about his upcoming defense from training camp with trainer Calvin Ford and undercard fighters at Upton Boxing Center in Baltimore Maryland:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“My brothers helped me get prepared for this and I prepared them, mentally and physically. We are all ready to put on a show July 27.
“To be honest, it’s not just about this fight. It’s about maturing as a fighter. I am 24 years old now, I will be 25 in November. I have a daughter who turns 1 the 20th. I have matured not only as a man but as a fighter as well. Coming back home has humbled me a lot. I am just so ready.
“I know what’s in front of me. I am living in the moment right now. I know what I have to focus on now. I know it’s a big task in front of me, now and in the future. But my focus is on right now. I feel like the love is here right now and I don’t want to look past that. I want to soak it all in.
“Being the face of boxing is a fight away. I am just young. You have to win and you have to look good. We all know that when I am in there, I am exciting.
“When I am fighting July 27, it’s not just me. We have 10 people on the card. It was never about me. I was always the guy that wanted to help the people around me. When you’re here at the top alone, who’s going to push you? You have to always push yourself. When you have people like Richardson, he’s hungry and I need the young guys under me to keep pushing me, because I am pushing them.
“We are all working on the same goal. If ‘Tank’ can do it, I can do it. And if Richardson is working hard, and I am keeping up with him, then I can keep up with the next generation.
“It feels good. It’s not about everybody coming to see me. I want to be able to bring out a good crowd with positive energy. I want to make it feel like we are all a part of the dream. You aren’t coming to watch just one or two fighters. I want it to be like a family reunion.
“Richardson and I drive to the gym together but when we come to the gym it’s like we are meeting up with our friends. It’s nothing but great energy. We all have high spirits. We are mentally and psychically ready. We feel the love and support.
“I am definitely open for 130-pound title unifications. I believe I haven’t done enough at 130. I would say I have about three or four more opponents that are champs at 130 that I want.
“I would like to fight Tevin Farmer. I had the IBF before he fought for it when it was vacant. I think he didn’t really earn it. I want to be able to put up both of our belts and may the best man win.
“There’s no pressure on me and even if there is pressure, it’s good pressure. I am around family and love and my brothers. I want all of my brothers with me. I am not fighting alone. We are all fighting together. I will be there with them. It’s all love. We are spreading love.”
CALVIN FORD, Davis’ Trainer
“Training has been beautiful. Seeing all these fighters working together has been great. I have different styles and all of them are sharp. Every single one of them are sharp.
“We had a few amateurs come here to train. That’s the new generation that’s coming up. They come out to be around the champion. It lets them know that there is hope.
“Everybody knows I don’t like knockouts, but everybody else likes knockouts. I just want to see the guy bring out the best out of ‘Tank’ because everybody hasn’t seen his real work. ‘Tank’ can box and he has power in both hands. Defensively he is real. I just want to see him send a message to the fighters that keep calling him out.
“This means a lot to his career. I think this is the pillar right here that he goes through to become a star. That’s what we are chasing, for him to be that star that he always has been able to be.
“It was amazing having the public here. It was lit like Floyd Mayweather’s workouts. I can see Gervonta being that star.
“I just want to tell the world that Baltimore is going to put on a great show and enjoy yourself.”
RICHARDSON HITCHINS
“I feel like I will be ready in another three or four fights for a title fight. But it’s up to my promoters, Leonard and Floyd, whenever they feel like the time is right. I have been on big cards. I have been making good money but I want to step up the competition. I don’t want to just make good money fighting mediocre guys. I want to fight former world champions and contenders and show that I am just on a whole different level.
“I am just focused on the grind right now. I focus on the opponents in front of me. I try to get good opponents, the best opponents that they can get for me. I tell Leonard to make it happen. I am moving on up. This is a bigger card and a big opportunity for me to show the world my talent.
“All of the 140-pound champions are on my radar. I am not calling anybody out because when you focus on one thing, other things don’t always happen. They have to win and I have to win for fights to happen. One hiccup could mess up your whole career, so I am not focusing on that. July 27 is what I am focusing on. This guy is coming to beat me, he is coming to rebuild his career and I am trying to keep my career moving on.
“’Tank’ is on the next chapter of his career. He has already been through fighting on TV and building his name. He’s just giving me the intelligence and the smarts to go out there and pick the right time to do everything. We push each other, even with runs in the morning. ‘Tank’ will say ‘I’m running three miles today’ and sometimes I will say ‘I’m running three miles.’ Then one of us will say ‘No we have to run five.’ Then we go outside and start running and we’ll be trying to beat each other. Things like that get us in better shape and hungrier. He’s another great fighter and I feel like I am a great fighter. If you get two great fighters pushing each other, like Leonard always says ‘iron sharpens iron’ so that’s what we are doing.
“You can expect a good boxing IQ, power and just a hungry young fighter. A fighter at a young tender age who is planning on a great performance.”
KAREEM MARTIN
“I am very excited to be a part of this event. We have had some big cards in D.C. I was just on another big card with Lamont Peterson and I was really motivated and I got a victory on that undercard. Now it feels good to be going down in a weight class. This is my first time going down to 140. I am ready to put this work on display in the ring.
“It’s hard to compare my style. I have a little bit of slickness, and a little bit of Mexican fighter in me. Sometimes I can go without you hitting me and sometimes I can press you out like a Mexican fighter.
“My opponent is going to try to surprise me and put a lot of pressure on me. I plan to keep getting these victories and work my way up to a world title next year.”
MALIK WARREN
“I just know I have to do what I have to do July 27. I have no concerns about my opponent. I’m happy to have this opportunity, because I have been doing this for half of my life.
“I would say 11 or 12 more fights until I am ready for a title fight. I let my managers and coaches choose my opponents and then I knock them down like bowling pins.
“I have known Tank since I was 11 years old. I have been training with him for this camp for four weeks.
“It’s very meaningful for him to bring the spotlight on Baltimore boxing. It shows that he cares about his gym and his city, as well as his little brothers in the gym.”
MALIK HAWKINS
“It’s always good to go the distance and get those rounds in. But sometimes it’s better to get the knockout if you don’t feel like being in the ring for that long. For me it’s great going in and getting the rounds.
“Around this time next year I will be looking for a title fight. If not by the end of this year.
“I have been sparring with my big brother Gervonta Davis, Richardson Hitchins, Malik Warren and Kareem Martin and I have been getting a little help from Lorenzo Simpson. All of them are tough to spar because every single one of them are sharp.
“I have known Gervonta since second grade. We went to the same elementary, middle school and high school together. We grew up together, coming through the amateurs together. Just to be on the same card as him, with him being the world champion, I am thankful for him for that.
“Baltimore means a lot to Gervonta. This is the city we grew up in and everybody loves him just as much as they love me, if not more.
“I am thankful for him having me on his card. It’s my time. I sat back and I waited. Now it’s my time to shine.”
LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions
“It is going to be an electric atmosphere. It’s going to be like a movie. Baltimore next Saturday night, it’s a movie. You’ve seen the outstanding support Gervonta’s gotten, and this is just the workout. I am so excited for fight week. This is the start of something very special here. The love and support that he has received from the city has just been phenomenal. We want to thank everyone who came out and who continuously supports Gervonta Davis. This is the start of something very special here for Gervonta Davis.
“Gervonta Davis is the most exciting fighter in this sport. I expect next Saturday for him to come out there and show the fans why he is the most exciting fighter in the sport.
“Gervonta Davis will be the biggest star in the entire sport and that will happen very soon. As far as all of the other fighters are concerned, we have some very good young prospects that are on the card. It’s a tremendous card, we have a bunch of great fights for the fans and it’s going to be a great night of boxing here in Baltimore.”
