Gervonta Davis outclassed Isaac Cruz on Sunday night in Los Angeles to keep hold of his WBA lightweight championship in a thriving lightweight scene.
‘Tank’ won a unanimous decision to remain an undefeated two-weight world champion as the division hots up.
Vasiliy Lomachenko makes his return on Saturday against Richard Commey, live on Sky Sports, while Devin Haney retained his WBC belt on Saturday, a week after George Kambosos Jr upset Teofimo Lopez to become the No 1.
Ryan Garcia, another unbeaten US starlet, reacted to Davis’ latest win: “Gervonta gets away with fighting C-level fighters, out of all the lightweights he’s the weakest! His toughest test was Leo Santa Cruz, he almost lost tonight. Bring it on I’ve been calling you out for a while.”
Davis said after victory: “All those guys are easy work. I’m the top dog.”
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He was made to scrap harder than expected to remain undefeated by his game opponent Cruz.
Davis was not given a second to breathe for the entirety of the fight amid an onslaught of pressure.
Eventually Davis was able to time his trademark power punches but later said that an injured hand prevented him stopping Cruz inside the distance.
The judges’ scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113.
Davis is now undefeated in 26 with 24 knockouts – he had stopped his previous 16 opponents.
He owns the WBA ‘regular’ belt while, 24 hours earlier, Devin Haney retained a version of the WBC title.
George Kambosos Jr is the recognised No 1 in the division having beaten Teofimo Lopez a week ago to claim gold from every governing body.
Lopez had, last year, upset Vasiliy Lomachenko who has since rebounded with a spiteful stoppage win.
Lomachenko is back in the ring on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports, against Richard Commey.
“It’s my goal in boxing now,” he said. “Undisputed world champion, this is my motivation.”
The division spearheaded by four young unbeaten Americans – Lopez, Davis, Haney and Garcia – was shaken by Australia’s Kambosos Jr last week and now Lomachenko will have the chance to stake his claim that he is still the master.
Sky Sports Boxing schedule
Sunday December 12 – Top Rank in New York
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Richard Commey
Jared Anderson vs Oleksandr Teslenko
Nico Ali Walsh
Sunday December 18 – Top Rank in Montreal
Artur Beterbiev vs Marcus Browne – IBF and WBC light-heavyweight titles
Saturday January 29 – BOXXER in Cardiff
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams
Claressa Shields vs Ema Kozin – IBF, WBA and WBC middleweight titles
Saturday February 19 – BOXXER in Manchester – Sky Sports Box Office
Amir Khan vs Kell Brook
Saturday February 26 – Top Rank in Glasgow
Josh Taylor vs Jack Catterall – undisputed super-lightweight titles