Gervonta Davis stalked and stopped Frank Martin Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
Davis scored an eighth-round KO after he caught Martin with a vicious left uppercut and followed it up with a straight left hand. Martin was left lying flat on his back and didn’t beat referee Harvey Dock’s ten count.
Here is a look at the finish.
Immediately after Davis’ win, there was some immediate conversation about Tank’s next opponent. Here are four of the most commonly mentioned names.
Shakur Stevenson
Stevenson took to X immediately after Davis’ win and spoke as if something was potentially in the works for him and Tank.
Martin was supposed to fight Stevenson in November 2023, but the former pulled out of the bout, and the latter defeated Edwin De Los Santos in a lopsided but boring victory.
Stevenson has jawed with Davis on social media as the former seems to be one of the most avoided fighters in the crowded 135-140-pound range. Davis and Stevenson would be a draw, but it’s unclear what it would take for the two sides to fight.
Neither man has worked with Turki Alalshikh of Riyadh Season, so it is unclear whether intervention from the Saudis could improve the likelihood this matchup gets made.
Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6 in Newark.
Teofimo Lopez
While he has been criticized for having lofty demands for compensation to take big fights, Teofimo Lopez is another fighter who could be an excellent next opponent for Davis.
Philly Special’s Raging Babe mentioned Lopez specifically as an exciting potential opponent for Davis.
Lopez has moved up to 140 pounds, so Davis must follow suit to make a fight with him happen.
That’s not out of the question for Tank, considering two of his rivals, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, have already made that jump. Lopez’s power and punch accuracy potentially threaten Davis and the challenge of moving up in weight.
It’s not just about the fight itself. Lopez’s strong following and ESPN backing could turn this into a larger event with significant financial implications.
Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO super lightweight title against Steve Claggett on June 29 in Miami Beach, setting the stage for a potentially lucrative match with Davis.
Vasili Lomachenko
From a pure boxing standpoint, a Davis vs. Vasili Lomachenko fight is one of the most attractive matchups to make. Lomachenko just regained a world title with a masterful stoppage of George Kambosos in May.
If Davis were to fight Lomachenko next, he’d have a chance to unify two of the belts at 135 pounds. Adding Lomachenko’s scalp would also add some shine to Davis’ legacy.
Likewise, Lomachenko would further solidify his greatness if he could become the first man to solve Davis.
However, I’m wondering if Lomachenko has enough left in his tank to fight and defeat a fighter as explosive and dangerous as Davis.
William Zepeda
Golden Boy and Premier Boxing Champions have sometimes played poorly together.
Still, Davis’ taking on William Zepeda in his next fight makes sense from a pure boxing standpoint. Zepeda is the No. 1 contender for Davis’ WBA title. He last fought in March, when he stopped Maxi Hughes in the fourth round.
Despite his impressive record of 30-0 with 26 KOs, Zepeda is often overlooked in discussions of top fighters in his weight region. However, if the fight is properly promoted, it could showcase the underdog potential of this American-Mexican fighter, a narrative that has proven successful in the past.
Adding to the intrigue, there’s a well-known rivalry between Leonard Ellerbe, Davis’ advisor, and Oscar De La Hoya, the face of Golden Boy Promotions. This personal dynamic could further fuel the anticipation for the fight.
The build for this fight would be entertaining and a logical next fight for Davis because of where Zepeda is ranked. Expect to hear some definitive news on Davis’ next moves before the end of the summer.
