Rivalry Tention: Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Given Bold Challenge, ‘Let’s Make the Fade a Reality’”
Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis have risen in the boxing world as two of the sport’s most electrifying lightweight stars, each carving a path of dominance with unbeaten records and world titles, with Stevenson as the WBC champion and Davis holding the WBA strap. While Stevenson’s technical mastery and defensive brilliance have drawn comparisons to Floyd Mayweather, Davis has cemented his reputation as a fearsome knockout artist with mainstream appeal.
A clash between them would not only unify the division but test whether Stevenson’s elusive craft can withstand Davis’s fight-ending power, making it one of the sport’s most tantalizing matchups. Despite this, negotiations between the two fighters have constantly stalled, and boxing fans wonder whether or not this fight will ever happen.
Ahead of his long-anticipated fight with William Zepeda on July 12, Stevenson doubled down on his pursuit of Gervonta Davis during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, framing their potential clash as the fight boxing needs.
The WBC lightweight champion left no room for ambiguity, declaring, “We gotta run it. It’s a fade that’s gotta happen. I mean, everybody has been calling for it. He done said it several times. Let’s make the fade happen.”
His callout reflects years of stalled negotiations, and his growing impatience over “Tank’s” refusal to share the ring with him.
“They used to criticize Tank. If you really go back in the day, they used to criticize him all the time,” Stevenson observed. “Now they flipped the switch to where anything he does, he can’t do wrong.”
He admits, however, that Davis’ ability to sidestep scrutiny has halted as of late after his controversial draw against Lamont Roach Jr.
“I think he got a little bit of heat (after the Lamont Roach Jr. fight), but I think it was just the haters coming back out. But if you remember before the fight, he was just this untouchable, invincible guy,” Stevenson said.
Central to Stevenson’s argument is Davis’ own trash talk. He reminded Helwani that Tank has repeatedly dismissed his skills, making their rivalry personal.
“He said it in several different interviews that I was on his list, and what he was going to do to me. [He said] I don’t have power, I’m not that good. All these different things he said. If you really felt that way, then we should really get in the ring and fight.”
The fight promises a clash of styles, with Tank’s knockout artistry pitted against Stevenson’s defensive mastery. More importantly, the back-and-forth jawing between the two undefeated boxers reveals a deeper clash of egos.
Whether Davis exits the sport in 2025 or faces his most difficult test on paper, Stevenson will continue to campaign for that fight in the hopes that their bitter rivalry will culminate in the squared circle and define this era of boxing.
