Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz - October 31, 2020

[Ruthless-RKO]

How will Gervonta make weight ?
Will he have a clause in the contract that says for every pound he's over he will pay 100k or something ?
On a multi million $ contract what's a 100k here and there ?

The main article says there is a clause. He will be giving up money if he’s overweight. Just didn’t say how much.

Doesn't say how much ?
Kind of a big point isn't it ?
Wasn't it Mayweather v Marquez where Floyd gave up big $ per pound and outweighed him significantly when it went off ?
Will Gervonta be one of those fighters ?

It was Leonard Ellerbe who mentioned it..

Who knows, closer to the fight, Dan Rafael or someone else like Mike C usually fine out the nitty contract details.

[gregregegg]

UFC 254 PPV, main event kahbib vs gaethje just got anounced on the same date. Thats gotta suck for this show. it was already a very weak PPV, but having to compete with a massive UFC card is going to realy hurt it. Wouldn't be shocked if they change the date.

[margaret thatcher]

watch some dude get 'injured' now or something

[JxhDel.]

I sense some crazy stoppage by Davis.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Leo Santa Cruz To Spar Welterweights To Prep For Gervonta Davis' Power

Although Leo Santa Cruz will stand two inches taller than Gervonta Davis when they meet Oct. 24 on Showtime pay per view, Tank will be the thicker fighter who’ll be packing the more powerful and thudding punch.

Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) is already fully envisioning the damage Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) can deliver, so he is looking to dial it up a notch during training.

“I’m back in camp now. The preparation is going well. We started last week as we start to train more, and we will be stepping it up. I will do everything that way I come well prepared for the fight,” Santa Cruz told Fight News. “Once we begin to spar. I will need guys that fight at 140 or 147.”

Santa Cruz is a four-division champion at 118, 122, 126 and 130 weight classes. The clash against Baltimore-bred Davis will take place at super featherweight.

It will be just Santa Cruz’s second fight at 130.

In November, he unanimously decisioned Miguel Flores in a fight more competitive than he would have liked. For his efforts, he picked up a version of a WBA super featherweight belt that Davis vacated earlier as he moved up to fight Yuriorkis Gamboa at 135 for yet another vacant WBA belt.

“I’m happy that I won that fight [versus Flores] and that I won my fourth title, in my fourth weight division,” said Santa Cruz. “I didn’t do that good in that fight. I got sick a week before the fight, but I was not worried. I felt strong before the fight but then I was weak, I lost power. I won the fight, but It wasn’t the best performance.

“I thought we were fighting [Davis] for the 130-pound title, but we are also fighting for 135. I didn’t expect that … It will be a big accomplishment if I get a title at 135. I will be the first Mexican to win five world titles in five weight classes. It would be an honor and it would go down in history. It will be a dream come true.”

Santa Cruz sports a career KO percentage of 48.7, but he hasn’t carried over his power in recent years. He’s scored just two stoppages in his last nine fights spanning back to 2015.

He’ll be 32-year-old by the time he meets Davis.

The 25-year-old Davis, meanwhile, is riding a 14-fight knockout streak dating back to 2014.

Santa Cruz knows that he needs to be able to absorb Davis’ power in order to have a chance to fight back and deliver with his relentless offensive output.

Sparring with 147 pounders is a positive step to make El Terremoto’s game plan a reality.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[loma#1]

Will Davis make weight? I doubt.

[bobcatbox]

Will Davis make weight? I doubt.

Legit question. And if he doesn’t, should we accept this is a legit win? Legit??

[brilo33]

iam going leo decsion in this figh. he has the power to keep tank from marching in, he moves well throws punches from angels tough has heart and is a champion he will take tank in the later rds and trade and leo is for real hard , this is tanks toughest fight,of cause he can win, he could pressure leo straight away hit him with big shots and go for it , leo is smart think wil tuck up and give away the middle rds ,leo ud

[AntonioMartin]

I like Davis, unless it turns our into Genaro Hernandez-Azumah Nelson all over again!

[Ruthless-RKO]

Undercard

Antonio’s Mario Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA world super lightweight championship against Houston’s Ryan Karl (18-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout.

12-round IBF lightweight elimination match in which Las Vegas’ Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) fights Mexico’s Isaac Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs).

[Onetimeonly]

Pretty sure Barros/Karl is tonight.

[apollo creed]

134 lbs ?

[jujigatame]

Undercard

Antonio’s Mario Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will defend his WBA world super lightweight championship against Houston’s Ryan Karl (18-2, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout.

12-round IBF lightweight elimination match in which Las Vegas’ Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) fights Mexico’s Isaac Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs).

Wow, absolute trash.

[bobcatbox]

Someone convince me to buy this.

[LeeSanders]

UFC 254 PPV, main event kahbib vs gaethje just got anounced on the same date. Thats gotta suck for this show. it was already a very weak PPV, but having to compete with a massive UFC card is going to realy hurt it. Wouldn't be shocked if they change the date.

i think you nailed it bro. fight's postponed to october 31

[Ruthless-RKO]

UFC 254 PPV, main event kahbib vs gaethje just got anounced on the same date. Thats gotta suck for this show. it was already a very weak PPV, but having to compete with a massive UFC card is going to realy hurt it. Wouldn't be shocked if they change the date.

i think you nailed it bro. fight's postponed to october 31

Actually. The UFC Isn’t gonna be on prime time
In the US. They’re catering it more for the UK/Russian/Arabs.

Just like Khabib-Porier.

Meaning it’ll be late afternoon for US fans.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Davis vs. Santa Cruz Moves To Oct. 31 In San Antonio With Fans In Attendance

The next major boxing Pay-Per-View event is officially on the move.

Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz now have a new date and a firm location for their anticipated two-belt title fight showdown. Their originally scheduled October 24 Showtime PPV headliner will now take place one week later, moving to October 31 and to take place at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, three sources with intimate knowledge of the development confirmed to BS.com on Wednesday.

The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger was the first to break this story.

A motivating factor behind staging the event in Texas is to allow fans in attendance. Pro sporting events in the Lone Star State during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have allowed up to 25% seating capacity in select areas, including at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas—the home to the Texas Rangers which is hosting the Major League Baseball (MLB) National League Championship Series (NLCS) and the World Series.

The National Football League's (NFL) Dallas Cowboys have also played this season in front of socially-distanced crowds, while the Houston Texans will allow fans at NRG Stadium this weekend after not allowing fans in attendance for its home opener two weeks ago.

With that will come the first Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC)-branded event available to the paying public. The show moving back to October 31 will also allow for an additional seven days to sell tickets, sources suggested to BS.com. Event handlers opted to move the date due to the 72,000-seat multi-purpose venue not being available on the October 24. The University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners host a Conference USA game versus the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

The move works to the benefit of at least one fight on the undercard. Locally-based Mario Barrios (25-0, 16KOs) will make the first defense of his secondary WBA 140-pound title versus Houston’s Ryan Karl (18-2, 12KOs) in a bout that was moved from one PPV event to another. The two were originally scheduled to collide on the September 26 Showtime PPV show co-headlined by Houston-based twins Jermall and Jermell Charlo, both of whom delivered career-best wins in separate fights.

The Charlo twinbill took place at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, which has hosted every Showtime-branded card since the pandemic.

The site was originally budgeted to host the two-division title fight between Baltimore’s Davis (23-0, 22KOs)—a former two-time 130-pound titlist and current secondary WBA 135-pound beltholder—and four-division and reigning current 130-pound title claimant Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19KOs). With the move will mark the first Showtime card to leave the Mohegan Sun Bubble, which will still play host to an October 7 ShoBox card and an October 10 Showtime Championship Boxing event.

Davis’ lightweight strap and Santa Cruz’s junior lightweight belt will both be at stake in the evening’s main event, which will be contested at the 130-pound limit. Davis last fought at the weight in a 2nd round wipeout of Ricardo Nuñez last July in his Baltimore homecoming. Five months later came his lightweight title win, stopping Olympic Gold medalist and former featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 12th round last December in Atlanta, Georgia.

Santa Cruz has not fought since making his junior lightweight debut, moving up to outpoint Miguel Flores in their vacant 130-pound title fight last November in Las Vegas.

[gregregegg]

Wow the 31st is a huge day of boxing. 4 cards im interested in. If there can be a few interesting undercard fights thats a lot to take in...

-Usyk vs chisora (plus selbey vs George Kambosos Jnr on undercard)
-Tank Vs Leo
-Gassievs heavyweight Debut
-Inoue vs moloney

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gervonta Davis Getting Work From The Barrietes Twins

Twin boxing phenoms Angel “AK-47” Barrientes (3-0, 3 KOs) and Chavez “The Beast” Barrietes (3-0, 3 KOs) detailed their recent sparring sessions with three-time, two-division world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) as they prepare for their televised debuts this Saturday, October 3 in FS1 PBC Fight Night action and on FOX Deportes from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.



The two Las Vegas-natives shared several sparring sessions with Davis ahead of the Baltimore native’s showdown against four-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz. Both fighters have been asked to come back and continue their development and continue sparring with Davis after their fight this Saturday.

FS1 PBC Fight Night begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten featherweight contender Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo taking on hard-hitting Rigoberto Hermosillo in a 10-round showdown. Also featured is top welterweight prospect Paul Kroll squaring off against rising prospect Luke Santamaria in the 10-round co-main event.

The event will be promoted by TGB Promotions and will take place without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater, an AEG venue, in downtown Los Angeles.

Ángel will battle Fernando Ibarra in a six-round featherweight attraction, while Chávez will face Ivan Varela, also in a six-round featherweight bout. Here is what the brothers had to say about the valuable experience they gained from sharing the ring with Davis:

CHAVEZ:

“The experience has been crazy. Gervonta Davis is a world champion and to have the privilege to share the ring with him is simply amazing, I’m very thankful. Tank has years of experience, knowledge and great skills, all of the ingredients a great fighter requires. It's a great feeling knowing we held out own with him, especially after seeing him stop top level welterweights.”

“I think this experience is a great for my career. Just knowing that I was able to share the ring with Tank and learn from the best, is great for my confidence. I am ready to see where this experience takes me. I am always training to get to that next level. Sparring Davis has definitely helped us get there. So far this has been a huge accomplishment. This experience has given my brother and I great exposure being that we performed exceptionally in front of Floyd Mayweather and Leonard Ellerbe. It’s helped put our name out there. Sharing the ring with a champ and learning a different fighting style, it can’t get better than that.”

“I am always trying to find things to work on and get better at. We're both learning off each other, I am finding different ways to get in and not get hit. Tank is more of a brawler and I'm more of a boxer because I'm longer. I feel like I’ve already learned a lot from sparring him. One of the main things I’ve been working on is keeping my distance and trying not to get hit with big punches.”

“It’s been a great experience having Floyd watching us spar his fighter. Being able to showcase my talents in front of a boxing legend has been a ride in itself. He’s going against us; he’s basically watching us spar against his fighter. It does get a little nerve-wracking, walking into Floyd’s gym, because you know you’re walking into a doghouse, where only the strong survive. I just remember to stick to the game plan and stay composed. It’s great exposure just to let people know we were in there with one of the best fighters in the world right now, and we are holding our own.”

ANGEL:

“I think this is a great for us! Sparring Tank has been a great experience. He's one of the best fighters in boxing. Davis does a lot of things that you're not comfortable with, but he definitely helps me stay on my toes. He's fast and strong. This experience is helping me stay disciplined and focused on doing what I gotta do. Learning from him has been really beneficial to our boxing development.”

“We both learn off each other. Not everybody's on that world champion level like him. So, we're learning a lot of new things. I'm learning how to stay calm, stay disciplined, keep my distance, stick to my game plan and do what I do best. Tank is great fighter and you just gotta stay focused and not fall for his veteran tricks.”

“This experience is going to be great for us. No one that we are fighting soon is going to be on Tank’s level. So, the experience is great, we couldn’t ask for better work.”

“Floyd Mayweather is one of the best boxers. Having him in the gym watching us spar is really cool. Sparring in front of him and showcasing my talents has been a dream come true. He actually came up to us and gave us a couple of pointers. It’s a great feeling, he had good advice. Learning from the best after I sparred his fighter; you can’t beat that.”

“After this experience, I hope to take a little bit of everything I learn and apply it to my boxing game. I am just thankful to be able to share the ring with a champion like Gervonta Davis, he's a great fighter.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gervonta Davis-Leo Santa Cruz Tickets Go On Sale Monday For 10/31 At Alamodome

Tickets to the first major boxing event in the United States that’ll allow fans since the COVID-19 pandemic began will go on sale Monday.

Premier Boxing Champions announced Friday afternoon that tickets to the Gervonta Davis-Leo Santa Cruz card October 31 at Alamodome in San Antonio will be released in “pods.” Tickets, which should be available in blocks of two and four per customer, can be bought by visiting ticketmaster.com, starting at 10 a.m. CT.

Ticket prices were not mentioned in PBC’s press release.

PBC moved the Davis-Santa Cruz card to Alamodome earlier this week because a limited number of fans will be permitted to attend. Fans would not have been allowed if the show took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, the venue from which Showtime televised a pay-per-view event Saturday night that featured Jermall Charlo and Jermell Charlo.

PBC didn’t reveal the exact capacity, per social-distancing guidelines, for the Davis-Santa Cruz event. Alamodome’s capacity under ordinary circumstances for football and basketball games is listed as 64,000.

Fans will be required to wear masks to attend the Davis-Santa Cruz card and will be screened upon entry to Alamodome, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in the aforementioned pods to properly distances attendees from people they don’t know.

For more information on the venue’s comprehensive health and safety plan for the Davis-Santa Cruz show, visit Alamodome.com.

Co-promoters of the Davis-Santa Cruz show wanted to hold it at Dignity Health Sports Park’s outdoor soccer stadium in Carson, California. Once it became clear fans wouldn’t be allowed to attend sporting events in California in time to put tickets on sale for Davis-Santa Cruz, co-promoters began exploring sites in Texas.

To bring the event to Alamodome, an indoor stadium, PBC and Showtime had to change the date of Davis-Santa Cruz from October 24 to October 31. Alamodome is booked for October 24 because the University of Texas at San Antonio has a home football game scheduled for that afternoon against Louisiana Tech.

AT&T Center in San Antonio, home of the NBA’s Spurs, is available October 24. Alamodome is much bigger than AT&T Center, however, and therefore more conducive to adhering to social-distancing guidelines.

AT&T Center could accommodate approximately 19,000 fans for boxing under normal circumstances, more than three times fewer than Alamodome.

The Showtime Pay-Per-View undercard will feature former WBA “super” 140-pound champion Regis Prograis and San Antonio’s Mario Barrios in separate fights.

New Orleans’ Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) is scheduled to box Juan Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs), of North Las Vegas, Nevada. Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will defend his secondary WBA super lightweight title against Houston’s Ryan Karl (18-2, 12 KOs).

Las Vegas’ Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) will meet Mexico’s Isaac Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs) in the other televised bout October 31, a 12-round IBF lightweight elimination match.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Davis-Santa Cruz press conference quotes

Three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz previewed their highly anticipated October 31 PPV battle for the WBA super featherweight and WBA lightweight championships during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

Gervonta Davis: “Most fighters don’t last to the second half of the fight against me… He can say what he wants, but he has to prove it on October 31.”

Leo Santa Cruz: “If I see him gassing out, I’m going to pressure him and break him down.”

Gervonta Davis

“I brought my camp to Las Vegas and have trained more than eight weeks for this fight, because I know that I’m fighting a top-notch fighter. Leo comes to fight. He brings pressure and he’s a high-volume puncher.

“I’m having my camp here so I can stay focused on just boxing. I’m close to my Mayweather team and I have Floyd in the gym with me more. I’m grateful for having Floyd here to help me tweak things that will help me fight better against Leo.

“We have more than five sparring partners just to make sure I’m more than well prepared. My coach Calvin Ford keeps me focused day-to-day so that I’m able to give the fans a great, exciting fight.

“At the end of the day, the fans are going to win. We’re two elite fighters matching up. This could be one of those fights that you’ll always remember. I’m grateful to be in this position and I’m ready.

“I’m thankful to Leo for stepping up and calling me out. He wants to test himself out. It shows me that he has a lot of heart and he wants to fight the best. The winner of this should be up there in the pound-for-pound rankings. The winner takes it all on October 31.

“Floyd’s been there coaching me through what comes with having my first pay-per-view main event fight. There’s a lot of pressure on me and you have to live up to fighting on pay-per-view so you can fight on pay-per-view again. When I’m down or anything like that, he’s able to push me, because he’s been there before. There are things that only Floyd can tell me about because he has that experience.

“This camp has been great for me. I’m already on weight. I’ve just been working hard. We’re not worrying about weight. We’re worrying about giving Leo Santa Cruz a great fight on October 31.

“Most fighters don’t last to the second half of the fight against me. Jose Pedraza brought pressure against me and he got stopped in round seven. He can say what he wants, but he has to prove it on October 31.

“I believe I can stay at 130 after this fight, but if there’s a fight worth going to 135, I’ll do that. Right now, I’m just focused on Leo and becoming a pay-per-view star.

“I have a lot left to show in the ring and Leo is going to bring the best out of me. We just have to wait and see. I’ve been working hard every day sparring bigger and smaller guys. I’m prepared for anything. We know he’s coming to fight. We want to give everyone a great show. It’s going to be a spooky night on Halloween.

“As a professional, you have to be ready no matter what. You have to adapt to whatever comes your way. I’ve been working out for three months every day, just to prepare for this. I’m more grateful to be in this position than anything. I’m so focused on what’s in front of me, and that’s getting past Leo.

“I can’t say if he can take my power until we get in there. I’m working hard in camp so that I can show my appreciation with a great performance. Come October 31, you definitely won’t want to miss it.”

Leo Santa Cruz

“I feel really great. This camp has been perfect. I feel strong and I’m very motivated. My dad and my brothers have been helping me out. It’s really the best camp I’ve had and I’m in the best shape of my career.

“This is a hard fight. It’s the toughest fight of my career. We’re facing a tough fighter with great skills. I know he’s going to come with everything he has and be at his best.

“I’m determined to go beat ‘Tank’ so I can say that I beat one of the best fighters in the world. I want to give the fans a great fight. This is a big opportunity for me to become a superstar. It’s an opportunity for ‘Tank’ too, so I know we’re both going to go out there and give it our all for the fans.

“We’ve been sparring with bigger guys who fight at 147 pounds. I think that’s going to make me able to take his punches. I’m eating a little better and feeling strong. I’m doing everything I can to be able to take his punches.

“Davis is a strong fighter, especially in the first five rounds. He’s always dangerous, but if I see him gassing out, I’m going to pressure him and break him down. I think that I can frustrate him.

“I believe the winner of this fight is pound-for-pound top 10. Nobody wants to fight ‘Tank’ Davis and I chose to fight him. If I beat him, I know that everyone will have to say that I’m one of the best fighters in the world.

“I think my future will be at 130 pounds. I want to defend the title and unify but if there’s a fight that makes sense at 135 pounds, I’ll definitely take it.

“There’s no concern from us about his weight. He’s been training hard and he looks like he’s in good shape. He fought during Christmas last time, but I know this time he’ll be ready.

“The only concern my team had at the beginning was whether he’d make weight, but that isn’t a concern anymore. We’re working hard in the gym on how to avoid the big shots. We know we have to fight a perfect fight and that’s what we’re going to do.

“We have to fight from the outside because we know that ‘Tank’ can hit. But I always try to give the fans a great fight, so there’s going to be times I’m brawling with him. We’re going to go back and forth. If I feel like I can take his punches, I’m going to be right in his face.”

Floyd Mayweather

“This fight here is about these two young hungry lions. ‘Tank’, I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished in a short period of time. Leo, I have to commend you also, because you’ve done great things in this sport. I’m glad that we were able to take this fight to the Alamodome so we can have some fans. This fight needs to have fans.

“If you can’t make it there, make sure you tune in. We know Leo is going to bring excitement and high volume. ‘Tank’ is always going to bring the power and speed. This can’t be anything other than a collision. These guys do it for the fans, they love the fans and I’m proud to be part of such an event.

“When ‘Tank’ was very young, I told him that at some point he’d be on pay-per-view and now we’re here. I’ve always been a fan of Leo’s as well. Both fighters deserve this, the fans deserve this, and I want to see these fighters at their best on fight night. Go out and give the fans what they want to see.

“I know ‘Tank’ is ready for pay-per-view because his fan base is really growing. The demographic that follows him is getting bigger. With Leo being popular on the West Coast and in Texas, he’ll bring a huge following as well. This fight can only be on pay-per-view in my opinion.

“In the gym, Calvin Ford and I work hand in hand. I’m just there to give pointers and help ‘Tank’ understand how pay-per-view works. If a fighter is in a gym working hard all day, sometimes he doesn’t want to do the things you have to do that are part of being on pay-per-view. When we invest in a fight like this, we want these fighters to give 100%. I’m proud of both competitors for what they’ve done so far.

“I believe in ‘Tank’. I’ve believed in him ever since he was a young kid. He’s still a kid in my eyes, but he’s a young man now. I told him it was going to come fast and when it comes, to be ready.

“You haven’t seen the best Gervonta Davis yet. He had so many different looks in training. He had big guys, small guys, combination punchers, pressure fighters. He was boxing everything from middleweights to featherweights. All of this is going to play a big part in his career.”

Leonard Ellerbe (CEO of Mayweather Promotions)

“This is a terrific fight. It’s a clash of styles. Leo is a non-stop puncher. He’s relentless and comes forward. ‘Tank’ has the power, the youth and the speed. It’s two young fighters who want to give the fans the best out performances of their careers.

“Leo really pushed for this fight. Obviously, he sees something in ‘Tank’ that he feels he can take advantage of. It makes it a really fascinating matchup.

“The timing couldn’t be better for pay-per-view. These two young guys are ready. ‘Tank’ has become a huge attraction, selling out fights in the U.K., on the East Coast, down south and in California. We’re excited to bring him to Texas on October 31.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Mayweather Believes 1m buys, maybe 2m

“When I fought Arturo Gatti, we didn’t have social media. We didn’t have the different social media outlets. I was pushing and promoting the first PPV, and we did some pretty decent numbers. I think we did over 300,000, maybe close to 400,000 homes the first time out. These two guys can probably beat that. The reason they can beat that is, like I said before, it’s totally different now.

“Hopefully we can get one million buys, even two million PPV buys. Anything is possible, with the different outlets we didn’t have back in that time. Both of these guys deserve to be on PPV. I’m not here to knock their skills. I want both of these guys to continue pushing it so that we can do record-breaking numbers.”

[jujigatame]

That seems rather delusional. Have either guy headlined a PPV before? I think they'll be lucky to do 300K.