Uncovering The Ghost: Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin for WBA world title
Davis' last fight was against Ryan Garcia in April 2022 while Martin is coming off a close points win over Artem Harutyunyan.
Frank Martin has the opportunity to become a superstar when he challenges Gervonta Davis tomorrow night.
Fighting for the WBA Lightweight world title in Las Vegas, Martin could cause a major upset.
But the possibility of Martin emerging victorious has been dismissed, to the point where many fans are already talking about what’s next for Davis.
Invisible, overlooked and ignored in the build-up to this fight, Martin’s nickname ‘The Ghost’ has taken on a different meaning. One which strays away from his skilful in-ring ability and instead personifies his supposed non-existent chance of winning.
Yet ghosts are meant to be uncovered and there is no greater revelation when an underdog overcomes a heavy favourite. The adulation switches from one boxer to the other like an infant who gets a new toy and tosses the old one to the side.
Truth be told, before his last performance against Artem Harutyunyan, Martin wouldn’t be considered such an outsider by the bookies.
The struggle to beat an obscure opponent made Martin’s exceptional performances against Michel Rivera and Jackson Martinez feel like a distant memory. Events that some people remember but refuse to register in their brain.
Such is the fickleness of boxing and sport in general where a less-than-spectacular outing throws an athlete down the invisible ladder of eliteness.Â
However, with a professional record of 18 wins, 12 knockouts and no losses, Martin is still arguably one of Davis’ toughest opponents to date.
History tells us that being undefeated doesn’t always mean you're a great fighter, yet it does tell us you're harder to beat and have a stronger air of invincibility than when you have several losses on your record.Â
Physically, Martin doesn’t possess anything that Davis hasn’t seen before as ‘Tank’ has built a career on knocking out opponents taller than him. Though, Martin will be hoping he has the size advantage coupled with the skill required to win.
And really, that is what Davis vs Martin is going to come down to. Pound-for-pound there are few boxers, who possess the same level of punching power as Davis. But what happens if Martin can avoid getting hit clean and outwork the champion?
Plus, Martin is a southpaw which could work in his favour. The only southpaw Davis has faced in recent years is Hector Luis Garcia and from the eye test, most would assume Martin is a superior fighter.
Davis has been out of the ring for over a year due to various issues. Despite knocking out Ryan Garcia in April 2022, Davis found himself under house arrest and then in jail for violation of that house arrest.
The saying goes ‘an active fighter is a dangerous fighter’ but this does not apply to Davis at this present time.
Regardless, Davis has consistently shown he doesn’t need to fight four times a year to be a devastating puncher. ‘Tank’s big left hand is literally his get out of jail card.Â
Just ask Leo Santa Cruz and Rolando Romero who were deemed competitive on the judges scorecards prior to getting flattened. Knockout artists like Davis are experts at luring their opponents into a false sense of security and then capitalising.
Indeed, Davis is a proven multi-weight world champion and is undoubtedly the best opponent of Martin’s career. 29 years old with 29 wins and 27 knockouts, Davis has one of those records that isn’t inflated, but rather a reflection of his talent.
Still, Davis’ resume in terms of elite opposition is a little scarce. His knockout victory against Ryan Garcia looks phenomenal on paper, especially after Garcia dominated Devin Haney in April.
However, Garcia failed a drug test for the banned substance ostarine, questioning the validity of his win over Haney. And Garcia, someone who struggles to make 140 lbs, agreed to fight Davis at a catchweight of 136 lbs with a ten pound rehydration clause.
Some triumphs age like a fine Italian wine while others go off like lumpy, out-of-date milk. At the moment, Davis’ win against Garcia looks to be the latter.
Meanwhile, Davis’ wins over Mario Barrios and Isaac Cruz are paying dividends as both boxers have had solid victories recently. Barrios captured the WBC interim welterweight world title while Cruz became a super lightweight world champion.
Overall, few are expecting Martin to emerge victorious. Davis is ranked in the top 10 by Ring Magazine and Martin is coming off a mediocre performance. Either Martin is revealed as a top tier fighter in his own regard or Davis will reaffirm why he was always the favourite.
