Former world champion Antonio Tarver is a big fan of unbeaten fighters Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson.
Davis has had the biggest year of his career in terms of profile and money.
In January, he opened up the year with a stoppage win over Hector Luis Garcia, who suffered his first career defeat.
And then Davis came back in April, to score a knockout win over rival Ryan Garcia in a major pay-per-view event. The PPV generated over a million buys.
Later, Davis would get into some legal trouble, which derailed the remainder of his boxing year. There are currently plans to fight again in the first quarter of 2024.
“I think he’s the goods. I love seeing him fight, he’s the culture right now and everyone can relate to Gervonta Davis, but I want to see him fight those big names too because you’re only as big as the person you’ve beat. A lot of the times, people say ‘who has he beat’?,” Tarver said.
“At the end of the day that’s what you’ve got to ask to yourself. But I believe those big fights are out there, but it takes two to tango. We’ve got to get those guys willing to take those risks and fight these guys, to fight and take the chances of laying it all on the line and not being so picky about the guys you don’t fight. If you’re the best, you’ll figure it out inside those 12 rounds. A lot of times you don’t have it figured out until you step in there but sometimes you’ve got to take risks, and nothing is more rewarding that the risks you take.”
As far as the next megastar of the sport – Tarver could see it come down to Davis and Stevenson – and he believes the winner of that potential match would become a legendary fighter in the sport.
“I can see Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson being the last man standing – that is a great fight. A little too soon right now but it is definitely in the making to be one of those fights we will call a legendary night because the winner will become an instant legend, and the GOAT,” Tarver said.