LAS VEGAS – Gervonta Davis didn’t feel the need late Saturday night to discuss Devin Haney.
When a reporter informed Davis after his seventh-round knockout of Ryan Garcia that Haney wants to fight him next, Davis advised the undefeated, fully unified lightweight champion to focus on the difficult assignment that already awaits him. Haney is scheduled to defend his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 135-pound championships versus Vasiliy Lomachenko on May 20 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I’m not worrying about [Haney],” Davis said during his post-fight press conference at T-Mobile Arena. “He need to focus on May the 20th. We’ll holla at him after. I don’t really wanna speak on him. This is my moment.”
Facing the winner between Haney (29-0, 15 KOs), of Henderson, Nevada, and Ukraine’s Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) would afford Davis the opportunity to capture all four lightweight titles at one time. The Baltimore native owns the WBA world 135-pound title, but Haney is considered the WBA’s legitimate lightweight champion.
The 25-year-old Haney is consistently listed as a 2-1 favorite over Lomachenko. The three-division champion is 35, but the skillful southpaw also is the most accomplished, formidable opponent of Haney’s seven-year pro career.
Whoever Davis fights next, the timetable for his return to the ring figures to be impacted at least somewhat by the sentence he receives May 5 in a Baltimore courtroom. Davis pleaded guilty February 16 to four counts related to his hit-and-run accident in November 2020 in Baltimore.
Davis, 28, was scheduled to stand trial February 16 on numerous misdemeanor motor vehicle charges stemming from the abovementioned hit-and-run crash. He waived his right to a trial and pleaded guilty to four charges – leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury, failure to locate and notify an owner of unattended property damage, driving with a revoked license and failure to stop at a red light.
The Baltimore native could be sentenced to jail time a week from Friday.
Regardless, Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) is expected to fight again at some point later this year. He didn’t mention his upcoming sentencing hearing during his press conference.
“[We’re] just going back to the drawing board with my team and everything,” Davis said. “And we sit down and make a decision as a team. You know what I mean? Can’t really say right now because I just fought. But Imma try and rest. I fought twice [in 3½ months]. Imma try and rest, and hopefully we’ll come up with a good game plan in the next couple months and get it on again.”
Davis hasn’t boxed three times in a calendar year since 2019, before he started headlining Showtime Pay-Per-View events.
He has already fought twice in 2023. Prior to his knockout of Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs) on Saturday night, he stopped Dominican southpaw Hector Luis Garcia (16-1, 10 KOs, 3 NC) early in the ninth round January 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.