Boxing catches a lot of flack. With so many tightrope fights, belts, and more, people have somewhat strained from the sport that has been widely known as combat sports globally. It is safe to say that without boxing, there would be no MMA, no kickboxing, no Muay Thai on the stage that we see now. Without the sport of boxing, growth would not be what it is today. And nights like last night in a fight like Gervonta Davis vs.
The thing about boxing is that, at its core, it is about entertainment. Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis showed just that. They have brought out the best in the sport. They had fun. The action was there but it happened in the background when it came time to fight. Garcia and Davis were real boxers in every sense of the word.
Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis: Sportsmanship
There was a lot of talk before the game with Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia. The two seemed to not like each other at all. But once the fight was complete, both Davis and Garcia gave credit. Nor were they bitter about the war of attrition that preceded the fighting. It was just work.
The sportsmanship shown by both the fighters and their teams afterward was remarkable. García made no excuses and admitted that Davis was a better fighter. Davis was a good sport about winning. It was good to see him in a sport where nerves are so fiery.
And it worked. There was a lot of interest in the fight. People who don’t talk to me about boxing in real life have come to me asking about the Tank vs Ryan fight. The UFC usually overshadows boxing in the middle of the night. But tonight the supreme reigned.
This is because the big boxing match is the ultimate event. This is what fans crave. Millions of dollars, thousands of people, dire consequences. He represents the modern incarnation of wrestlers.
Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis emerged victorious from this fight. Davis beat a big name and his first main event pay-per-view. The knockout would be a great one for his highlight reel for years. It’s a future bet win because Garcia will make it to 140 places.
Ryan Garcia will grow from this loss. Show the world that he can appear on the biggest stage and that he will come back stronger. He handles losing well in post-fight presses, and gives Davis credit for being an amazing boxer.
On broadcasts during a fight we often heard commentary dropping the notion of not being defeated. They basically said what I’ve been saying for years: Floyd Mayweather hurt modern boxing by going undefeated and making such a big deal about it. The announcers said that losing is not something you should be down about. They pointed to a time when Sugar Ray Leonard went on to beat Roberto Duran after Duran beat him in their first meeting.
Pair this mindset with Sportsmanship It appears in the fight and we could witness a change of heart in boxing that will only move the sport forward.
Your friendly neighborhood fan fight. I watch a lot of fights and my wife lets me know.