Beverly Hills Bluster as ‘Tank’ Davis and ‘King Ry’ Garcia Cap Their Mini-Tour

Beverly Hills Bluster as ‘Tank’ Davis and ‘King Ry’ Garcia Cap Their Mini-Tour

BEVERLY HILLS – Talk, talk. Talk, talk. Talk, Talk.

Now that the bluster is over it’s on to the main course.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Ryan “KingRy” Garcia tossed verbal grenades liberally at each other at the scenic Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Thursday afternoon.

“They gonna have to pick you up. I promise you that,” said Davis to Garcia.

“When I hit you with that left hook, you’re gonna be on the floor. Asleep. Good night,” said Garcia to Davis.

Now that two-day press conference tour is over, the smack talk is done.

Ironically, it reminded me of one of the key promoter’s fighting days when madcap Nicaraguan Ricardo Mayorga insulted Oscar De La Hoya’s manhood and was promptly rendered unconscious in Las Vegas when they finally met in the prize ring.

That was 17 years ago.

De La Hoya was sitting on the same platform Thursday listening to Davis and Garcia trade jibes. He and co-promoter Bernard Hopkins must have been amused or at least dabbed with a little nostalgia hearing the lightweights jabber on.

In a little more than a month the two undefeated bombers Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) and the taller Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) will meet at no more than 136 pounds on April 22 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Showtime pay-per-view and DAZN pay-per-view will show the TGB Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions fight card.

It promises to be the biggest fight of the year.

All arrows point toward Garcia for instigating his way through social media and his appearances at Tank’s fights to badger and entice the pocket-sized destroyer to accept the challenge. It took two years.

“I want to thank Ryan Garcia for wanting this fight for years,” said Golden Boy Promotion’s De La Hoya.

Tom Brown, the promoter of TGB Promotions seconded that opinion.

“We all know who really made this fight happen, and that’s ‘Tank’ and Ryan,” said Brown.

The past several times Davis fought other opponents Garcia was there and vice versa. Each would yell at the other after their wins. Sometimes they would yell at each other during actual fights against others such as when Davis fought Rolly Romero in Brooklyn a year ago.

“These guys showed how it happens,” said Calvin Ford who trains Davis about both fighters insisting they meet each other in the prize ring despite different promoters and media outlets – Davis fights on Showtime and Garcia on DAZN. “This is what it’s all about – creating, elevating and keep it growing.”

Bernard Hopkins said this future confrontation reminds him of the big fights of the 1980s and 1990s.

“Around the world, the fans have been craving this fight,” Hopkins said.

It’s speed and power on both sides. One has height and a sizzling left hook, the other incredible footwork and an uppercut from hell.

Tank versus KingRy will be the mega fight of the year.

“This is a whole new level and a whole new experience coming out to that ring fighting somebody undefeated with your skill level and your will and your determination,” said De La Hoya who engaged in a number of similar battles as a fighter. “This is what boxing is all about.”

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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