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Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero: Bold words come with big punches

Esther Lin / Showtime

Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero both spoke boldly during a press conference Thursday to promote their Dec. 5 lightweight pay-per-view fight at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Romero predicted he would knockout out one of the sport’s rising stars. And Davis, while dismissing his opponent’s comments as empty blather, implied that he would end Romero’s night early.

In this case, a stoppage does seem likely. They have a combined record of 39-0, with 36 knockouts. Don’t look away; you might miss something.

“Everyone’s going to see December 5, I’m going to knock Gervonta the f— out. I hope you hear that,” Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) said directly to Davis. “I’ve been calling ‘Tank’ out since 2017. We were supposed to spar in 2018 and he didn’t show up to the gym.

“He did that twice because he knew he was getting beat. December 5, you’re getting knocked out.”

Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) wasn’t impressed.

“Rolly’ is just here to talk,” he said. “He’s trying to talk his way into winning, but he’s scared. I’m coming to fight. They only talk about his power, but this is boxing. His skills are not up to par with mine. He can’t even talk about power, because everyone knows I’m bringing it. …

“He’s been talking for a long time. He’s trying to sell a fight, but I’m going to show him that he’s a chump on December 5. I’m not here to talk, I’m here to fight.”

Their records make it clear that both men can crack. However, Davis has stopped higher caliber opponents. Romero has KO’d Avery Sparrow and Anthony Yigit in his last two fights. Not bad. But Davis has knocked out Jose Pedraza, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Leo Santa Cruz and Mario Barrios, among other well-known victims.

That’s one reason Davis is a candidate to become the face of boxing.

“He hasn’t fought anybody like me, and he’s going to see the difference,” Davis said. “I’ve never once turned down any fight. I’m not scared of anybody. I’m going to fight everybody. I’ll fight a heavyweight. This is nothing to me. I’ve survived a lot of stuff.”

Romero feels the same way, that Davis hasn’t faced an opponent like him.

The native of Las Vegas believes he saw vulnerability in Davis’ fights against Santa Cruz and Barrios. The former was fighting Davis on even terms when he was stopped with an uppercut from hell in Round 6. And the latter, who fought Davis at 140 pounds, gave his naturally smaller foe a surprisingly tough time until he met his demise in Round 11.

Romero, a lightweight his entire career, is Davis’ physical equal.

“He gets touched up by every opponent he faces,” Romero said. “Leo Santa Cruz was beating him up, and Barrios was getting to him too. He wants to run out of the ring whenever he gets hit. It happens in sparring and in the amateurs.

“I was the one who had to force this fight, because I’ve seen for years that he’s a chump. He’s made a career out of beating up 126-pounders.”

In fact, Davis has beaten fighters between 126 and 140. And 135 might be his sweet spot at this stage of his career.

“I was on a mission when I fought Jose Pedraza for the [IBF junior lightweight] title,” Davis said. “I didn’t do the trash talking. I went in there and proved that I’m a top guy. This guy is just here to talk.

“I’m going to do the talking in the ring on December 5.”

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