Jul 02 2024 News

Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martinops on PPV – ‘Fake Face of Boxing’

Gervonta Davis knocked out Frank Martin in the eighth round to retain his WBA Lightweight Title. However, the PPV numbers tell a different story about Davis' star power. This fight, which was his first since stopping Ryan Garcia last year, sold approximately between 325,000-350,000 PPVs, a stark contrast to the 1.2 million PPVs for the Garcia fight, the highest-grossing event of 2023. The Davis-Martin card, which featured David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk as the co-main event, failed to draw the same interest. Benavidez, fighting for the first time at 175 pounds, became mandatory for either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol, who fight for undisputed at 175 in October. Despite this strong main card, the numbers were underwhelming, suggesting that Davis needs the right dancing partner to draw big PPV buys. Davis' other PPV fights have shown similar results:

• Ryan Garcia: 1.2 million
• Hector Garcia: 200-250K
• Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero: 275K
• Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz: 200K
• Mario Barrios: 210-215K
• Leo Santa Cruz: 200-225K

These figures raise questions about Davis' claim to be the face of boxing. While he branded himself as such after defeating Garcia, the numbers indicate otherwise. Garcia's fight with Devin Haney sold more than 500,000 PPVs, highlighting the need for Davis to face top names to secure high purses. Reports suggest he might box Vasiliy Lomachenko next, a fight that has been long overdue, with Davis previously accused of ducking Loma in his prime. However, Lomachenko is no longer seen as the same fighter he once was. Davis also dismissed the idea of fighting Haney in Saudi Arabia, demanding two Ferraris just to consider negotiations. This attitude may prevent him from hitting the PPV highs he desires unless he fights the biggest names in the sport. Paulie Malignaggi has criticized Davis for avoiding the best, particularly Shakur Stevenson. Malignaggi said, "Now that Lomachenko is 175 years old and he still looks good, but you’re naming Lomachenko at the post-fight press conference. But now Stevenson is the prime guy, who doesn’t represent a risk that you want to take. This is my issue here. When I wanted to see Davis and Lomachenko, I wanted to see Davis and Lomachenko. I don’t need to see Davis and Lomachenko when it’s too late already. Now, I want to see Davis and Stevenson." A fight with Lomachenko might sell a lot of PPVs, but a bout with Stevenson is expected to be more competitive. However, Stevenson's defensive style may not attract the same number of viewers. To maintain his claim as the face of boxing, Davis needs to face the top contenders and prove his worth in the ring. #GervontaDavis #FrankMartin #Boxing #WBA #DavidBenavidez #OleksandrGvozdyk #RyanGarcia #VasiliyLomachenko #ShakurStevenson #PaulieMalignaggi