Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe hints of a June fight for WBA ‘regular’ lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who he insists calls the shots’ for when and who he’s fighting next.
Although as evasive as always, Ellerbe doesn’t hide the fact that #2 WBA Frank Martin is the likely one Tank David (29-0, 27 KOs) will be fighting.
Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) is a logical choice, given he’s well-known with hardcore boxing fans. However, unlike some of the other contenders in the lightweight division, he is not a threat to beating Tank.
Tank is making too much money for his management to risk putting him in with someone talented, like Shakur Stevenson and Vasily Lomachenko. They have a good thing going with Tank, making easy money on safe choices, and they’re not going to mess up their formula.
Frank Martin: A Worthy Challenger
“When Tank is ready to make that announcement of who, when, and where, he’ll do it,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe to Fighthype about Gervonta Davis’ next fight, which is expected to be in June against Frank Martin.
“Tank is calling the shots, and I’ll let you know and be ready to go. Love it. Frank Martin is a terrific fighter. He’s a slick, black fighter with very good boxing skills. He has an outstanding coach in Derric James. He’s a good fighter,” said Ellerbe.
Few people honestly believe that Tank Davis is “calling the shots,” as Ellerbe says. The choice of opponents for Tank is likely done by PBC, and they had to have vetted Martin well and determined that he’s not a threat. If he was, he’d be in the same boat Shakur and the other top fighters are at, at 135, with no chance of fighting Tank.
“I don’t pay attention to the fans. They’re not making these fights. They don’t know the first thing that goes into putting something on. No one is going to tell us how to run a business,” said Ellerbe.
“Tank has fought a lot of good fighters. His resume is very underrated, but do we care? Absolutely not, because every time I come to that venue, I look at the top all the way around. ‘Damn!’ That’s a tremendous feeling,” said Ellerbe about Tank selling out venues.
