Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Ryan Garcia Press Conference Epilogue
Now that the two-city tour to promote the fight between Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia is over, it’s time to look back at both events.
It’s been a little under 24 hours since the end of the L.A. press conference announcing the mega fight between Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (28-0) and Ryan Garcia (23-0). It has been a bit of a mixed bag when you look at both press conferences. Garcia said something at the NY presser that really stuck with me. He wished there was more time to promote the fight and felt it was a little rushed due to Davis’ pending legal cases. When I envisioned this fight being made years ago, I imagined it touching award shows, Late Night Talk Shows, and maybe even something like SNL, as both fighters have a widely popular fan base that extends past the boxing purists. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that, but that doesn’t mean we won’t still get one of the most talked about fights in recent times come April 22.
Who has the mental edge between the two? Photo Credit: Esther Lin/Showtime
WELCOME TO NEW YORK CITY
The fact that the press conferences weren’t open to the public was mistake number one. There may be thoughts from both teams that it wouldn’t be necessary, but with these two fighters, it would have been an event. The venue in NY was a little dark and gloomy while everyone waited for ‘Tank’ to arrive. When he made it almost two hours past the start time, the mood was quiet, and both teams exchanged compliments. Davis gave his thoughts about the event and said, “This is going to be an explosive fight. It’s two young guys who are hungry. It’s all about who wants it more. Whoever is really built like that, that’s who’s going to win. Nobody can fight for him. It’s about who’s got that dog in them.”
Also Read: Ryan “The Flash” Garcia’s Top Knockouts
While Garcia said, “This is a fight that I’ve been wanting for a very long time. To be a champion, you have to beat the best. It’s not about the titles; it’s about who you beat. It’s a testimony to the respect I have for Gervonta as a fighter.” Again, both fighters giving the type of answers you would expect from two guys that will be cashing in on a huge payday. Afterward, when the fighters faced off, things finally got heated between them, and their competitive nature came to light. The presser received mixed reviews, and no one knew what they would get when the fighters attended the L.A. press conference.
The road to #DavisGarcia starts now 🔥@Gervontaa 🆚 @RyanGarcia April 22 on SHO PPV 👊 pic.twitter.com/A7AK32ehm2
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 8, 2023
IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
It may have been a Southern California thing, but the atmosphere for this presser looked so much better than the one in NY. Davis was late again, but this time Garcia stayed in the room until he knew that Tank was on his way. Davis was a little late, but this presser had a completely different feel. Both Davis and Garcia had their game faces on, and we saw more trash talking going back and forth between the two pugilists. To add even more spice to the presser, Davis had on a t-shirt with Oscar De La Hoya on it, which I’m sure added more fuel to the fire. This presser was the one that everyone was waiting for, and they left the best for last when it came to hyping up the fight.
ALSO READ: Gervonta “Tank” Davis Top Knockouts
When Davis stepped up to talk on the podium, he said, “Come April 22, I’m gonna walk you to the deep waters, and I’m gonna drown you. They gonna have to pick you up. I promise you that.” When Ryan spoke, he said, “I’m here to win, and I promise you that I have heart and determination like you’ve never seen before. ‘Tank’ likes to fight guys that don’t hit hard, but I hit hard. When I hit you with that left hook, you’re gonna be on the floor. Asleep. Good night.” Both men were on and wanted to prove they were here to make a statement.
👀 @Gervontaa & @RyanGarcia don't waste a second 🥵👊#DavisGarcia Presser #2 is LIVE: https://t.co/3M0cwj8y8V pic.twitter.com/2uOiCV1Ps3
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 9, 2023
After watching both press conferences, I’m still just as excited to watch this matchup, and for me, the press conferences didn’t add or take away from that feeling. Both of these fighters are stars, and they know it. A slight indication of that is something that I saw on Elie Seckbach’s IG account, which was a ringside side seat on the resale market for $15,000. No one would put a price like that on those tickets if they didn’t think they could get it. The whole week in Las Vegas will be filled with celebrity parties and events, injecting Las Vegas with an obscene amount of capital.
This is the big one fight fans. Photo Credit:Ryan Hafey/ Premier Boxing Champions
Although the press conference may not have moved the hype meter for the purists in the sport, that doesn’t mean the causals felt the same way. Trust me, they have the faceoff video on repeat across all social media platforms, and they are more than ready to see this fight. Big Fight Weekend will continue to provide coverage of all things surrounding the event and through fight night, so ensure you bookmark the site.
You can follow Abe on Twitter @abeg718 and subscribe to “The Boxing Rush Hour Show” podcast on all streaming platforms.
