“Sparring Used to Be Private”: Fans Rip Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis as He Posts a Sparring Knockout Video on Social Media

Gervonta Davis hasn’t returned to the ring after the Ryan Garcia fight. But it doesn’t mean that the reigning world champion went inactive. Roughly a few weeks ago, he announced a return to the training camp with pad-work footage. However, as the days passed, fans observed a slight shift in the narrative. Clips of sparring sessions, closed-door or not, have been making headway to wider audiences.

Footage of Davis and Devin Haney‘s sparring session has already been making the rounds. Now a new video has appeared. Shared by talkSPORT‘s Michael Benson early today, it shows ‘Tank,’ in white tees and red trunk, knocking down a sparring partner with a right hook. Before it happened, during the fight, a shout erupts, “Work off ya jab now.” So taking a dig at the comment, the video taken from Davis’ Instagram stories ends up with a comment from the champion, “No! Get off ya a** now.” Not too many were happy about it.

Behind the curtain, leave it

There appeared to be some confusion regarding the identity of the sparring partner. Understandably, many suspected it to be Devin Haney. But from some of the comments, it appears to be Elijah Pierce, a boxer with an 18-2-0 record. Otherwise, the overwhelming sentiment questioned the relevance of publicizing videos of sparring sessions, a practice hitherto unheard of.

Lamenting the current generation for putting everything online, this user mentioned that sparring used to be a more personal affair. By and large, everything that happened at the gym stayed within its walls.

Toeing a similar line, the next follower also said that stuff that happened at sparring ought to remain there itself. Highlighting it for everyone is unnecessary.

Similarly, this user also harked back to the days when guys would completely avoid talking about sparring.

This user then wrote that team members of either fighter’s team should desist from or not be allowed to post videos like this. It would never be released if Davis’ team thought he was about to be knocked down.

However, this follower claims to have seen another clip of the sparring session. According to them, the opponent managed to hit Gervonta Davis with a few decent punches. However, it wasn’t something that the Baltimorean couldn’t have handled. Ultimately, as it happened, he knocked down the other guy and released the video.

In many ways, what most of the commentators say might resonate with many old-timers. Footage of sparring sessions by boxing greats is available. But not in the manner in which the current fad portrays it.

Twenty24: Gervonta Davis, Opening Gambit

Fans are eagerly awaiting Gervonta Davis’s return. Per the rumor mills, it should happen sometime in the early months of 2024. Details such as opponent, date, venue, etc. remain unavailable. A few months ago, there were talks of a possible rematch with Isaac Cruz. The Mexican boxer happens to be the only second man who took ‘Tank’ the whole distance. Given Ryan Garcia’s new-found resurgence, a rematch sounds exciting. However, the Californian, who now fights as a light welterweight, made it clear that the second fight between the two would not happen at a weight class below 140 pounds. Finally, with Shakur Stevenson winning his third world title in the lightweight division, a title-unification bout with Davis would be every fan’s dream.

Read More: “Just Like Level Playing Field”: While Admitting to Accepting Gervonta Davis Fight for Good Reason, Ryan Garcia Details “Different Conditions” Under Which He Could Beat the 5X World Champion

What’s your take on the issue? Do you feel it’s all right for sparring session videos to be leaked for public viewing? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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