It’s getting interesting. Now that both Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis have a fight in hand, talks about their mega showdown seem to have received a fresh lease on life. Roughly a month after Stevenson’s title defense against William Zepeda, on August 16, Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. will step in for a rematch. But as numerous as the discussions around current matchups are, there’s renewed vigor for the Stevenson-Davis fight.

To set the record straight, the fate of the mega showdown hangs in the balance. Against Shakur Stevenson’s incessant callouts, Tank’s response has largely been lukewarm. Perhaps the suspense only accentuated speculations on the outcome or the way it would unfold. Given his reputation and record, many foresee the match ending in Tank’s favor. But there are a few who think otherwise. Sharing his take on the marquee bout, Mike Tyson, who joined Stevenson, Terence Crawford, and a few others to watch the Times Square ‘Fatal Fury,‘ cautioned against jumping the gun.

Shakur Stevenson is a real threat

The former heavyweight champion joined iFLV TV’s Colm McGuigan for a quick catch-up. After Tyson shared his views on the fights that featured at the Riyadh Season events on May 2 and May 3, McGuigan checked for Tyson’s opinion on a few matchups, both upcoming and potential ones. So, after the scheduled Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury’s much-discussed showdown turned up. Despite how the duo’s last fights ended, Tyson felt that it would be a fantastic clash. “I think that’s beautiful for both of them. They both go home and take care of the fans and a great payday,” he said.

Shakur Stevenson vs. Gervonta Davis was next in line. When McGuigan asked, “Tank versus Shakur, who wins?” Iron Mike replied, “Tough, tough one, tough one.” However, years spent inside the ring had enabled him to paint a clear picture. So he highlighted, “It looks like, on record, it looks like Tank’s the winner.”

But it seems there’s more to the narrative than meets the eye. Recalling a discussion he had in the car, Tyson said, “Shakur’s one of those fighters…he looks so much better than what he looks like, so I’m sure when Tank gets in there not going to be as easy.”

Look deeper; the writing’s on the wall!

Now, Mike Tyson may have provided a rather buoyed-up response. However, with their discerning eyes, some are able to point out precisely where Shakur Stevenson excels in comparison to many of his peers. Former two-division champion Tim Bradley emphasized that most of the fighters are aware that Stevenson is a ‘difficult opponent to face no matter what.’

According to Bradley, “Power or no power, he’s difficult.” However, there’s a reason: “because he’s extremely hard to hit. He’s so damn cerebral and technical, and we’ve seen him perform at his absolute best when he fought against top fighters.”

Perhaps the Zepeda fight is a good opportunity. Shakur Stevenson has a chance to showcase his talent which has thus far come under scrutiny. With a win, he can justifiably call out Gervonta Davis. Perhaps the Baltimorean may no longer have any excuses to deny Stevenson a much-needed title unification.

Do you think Stevenson can beat Gervonta Davis for real?