Gervonta Davis knows that there’s a target on his back. At this point, he’s grown accustomed to it. Fighting the 29-year-old lightweight champ is almost like hitting the lottery or participating in boxing’s version of the Super Bowl. Simply put, life-changing money and millions of eyeballs are placed upon you when Davis picks you as his next opponent.
Nothing is set in stone just yet, but Frank Martin has emerged as a possible opponent for his 2024 debut. No one on Davis’ team has hinted at him getting a shot, but with Devin Haney competing at 140 pounds and Shakur Stevenson on the supposed other side of the street, Martin is an intriguing option.
Typically, the newly turned 29-year-old strolls his way to the ring on multiple occasions a year. In 2023, however, he was afforded that opportunity just once. Still, he made the most of it, scoring a close but clear win over Artem Harutyunyan in mid-July.
It’s rare that all four of the sanctioning bodies come to an agreement but they’ve all grown to respect what Martin brings to the table. With the WBC and WBO ranking him in their top six, coupled with the IBF and WBA having him placed number 10 and number two respectively, a world title shot is ostensibly just a few fights away.
On countless occasions, the Detroit native has pontificated over his desire to share the ring with Davis. There’s also a bit of a backstory. In years past, the two have attempted to take each other’s heads off in heated sparring sessions.
Should Martin get the call, considering his pedigree, he could give Davis all he could handle. But, for those who believe he can do what 29 others haven’t, Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, is convinced that you’ve lost your mind.
“Frank Martin can’t beat Tank Davis,” Ellerbe told Sean Zittel of FightHype.com. “None of those guys can beat Tank Davis. Frank’s a good ass fighter. He can’t beat Tank though.”
Ellerbe, by and large, has heard it all before. He’s listened to previous lightweight contenders, including Ryan Garcia, bombastically bloviate over what they’ll do to Davis, only to come up incredibly short in the ring.
Currently, Martin’s name continues to pick up traction. Ellerbe though, wouldn’t confirm nor deny whether or not he’s the frontrunner. For those who are waiting patiently for something to be announced, Ellerbe made it known that when the time comes, you’ll hear it directly from the horse’s mouth.
“Tank will decide who he’s fighting and when he decides that, he’ll make an announcement. Tank is the boss. He’ll be fighting soon.”