Gervonta “Tank” Davis overcame a slow start and a 15-month layoff to deliver a stunning eighth-round knockout against Frank Martin, improving his record to 30-0 and setting up potential future bouts with top fighters like Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis started slow but finished with a bang. He delivered a vicious knockout to finish Frank Martin in emphatic fashion.
A 15-month layoff clearly affected the undefeated fighter. Davis didn’t put forth much effort early, allowing Martin to take a lead on the scorecards. But it was all part of his game plan. Davis waited for Martin to slow down, then began trapping him against the ropes and in the corner, unloading his biggest punches.
The end came after Martin backed up to the corner. Davis blasted him with a huge uppercut that stunned the Detroit native. A split second later, Davis unloaded another brutal left hand that put Martin down on the canvas. No chance of making the 10 count.
With another knockout win on his résumé, Davis climbed to the top rope. He flipped backward down to the ring again, celebrating his victory. This followed his devastating finish against Ryan Garcia back in April 2023.
“I’m back,” Davis said afterward. “A couple rounds, I felt like I didn’t warm up completely like I wanted to. It’s OK, no excuses. His footwork wasn’t bothering me. I knew he was going to tire down.
“I was just standing there, being a target for him just so he could tire himself out. Once he tired himself out, I started picking him apart.”
Davis’ assessment is pretty spot on with how the fight actually played out.
The early rounds really came down to Martin staying more active. He threw more punches but didn’t do a lot of damage. Davis appeared resigned to just move around the ring with him. Activity helped Martin win on the scorecards, although he didn’t hurt Davis with any of his punches.
To his credit, Martin did clip Davis with a shot. It caused significant swelling on the right side of his face. But “Tank” just kept marching forward with no fear at what was coming back at him.
By the fifth round, Davis not only woke up but became much more active with his offense. He started coming after Martin with huge, powerful punches. As Martin slowed, he made the cardinal mistake of repeatedly backing himself into the corner. This allowed Davis to really tee off on him with blistering combinations.
Just as if he was chopping down a tree, Davis showed patience. He chipped away at Martin, looking for the best possible opening to put him to sleep for the night.
That final slumber came in the eighth round. Davis came out head-hunting with bad intentions behind every shot. Davis backed Martin into the corner yet again. That’s where he unloaded the left uppercut that snapped Martin’s head back, leaving him dazed and confused.
The next left hand ended Martin’s night. Davis scored his 28th knockout out of 30 career fights.
The win moves Davis to 30-0 in his career. More importantly, it sets him up for even bigger and better opportunities. Names like Vasyl Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson potentially await him next.
For now, Davis just wants to keep getting better. He anxiously awaits his chance to fight anyone and everyone thrown in his path.
“Most importantly, I want to get back to the drawing board,” Davis said. “Get back in the gym and stay focused. I felt that I was a little rusty, but all them guys is on my radar.”