Whomever brought up the suggestion that the 100th fight night to take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena should be a double-header deserves recognition. While it’s not uncommon for a card to be promoted as a co-main event, combining Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin with David Benavídez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk guarantees a capacity crowd and an electric atmosphere full of hardcore boxing fans.
The two matches already have two very different narratives that will conclude Saturday night. WBA lightweight champion Davis, who has risen in his 11-year career to become one of the faces of professional boxing, got under Martin’s skin at a May 4 press conference, with the two having to be separated at one point by the formidable figure of TGB Promotions’ Tom Brown.
Benavídez and Gvozdyk were all business and mutual respect. “The Mexican Monster” and “The Nail” (the English translation of the Ukrainian fighter’s surname) vie for the interim WBC light heavyweight belt, a fight that materialized after Benavídez let go of his quest to unseat Canelo Álvarez as undisputed super middleweight champion and move up a weight class.
At 37, Gvozdyk faces the usual ageism experienced by a professional boxer with a long career, but he stopped Isaac Rodrigues cold at MGM Grand Garden Arena in September with a solid right in two rounds before Canelo’s domination of Jermell Charlo in a unanimous decision. Benavídez demolished Demetrius Andrade at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in November with his right, landing an overhand blow in Round 6 that led Andrade’s trainer to stop the fight.
While Benavídez may have outpointed Álvarez in their PR war, it’s Davis who has the most visible public persona of the evening’s kings of the ring. He and fighters such as Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney are masters at drawing attention to matches via social media, making firmer connections between fans and boxers than any other time in recent history.
“The Tank” knocked out Garcia in their April 2023 catchweight fight at T-Mobile Arena. The origin of the dust-up between undefeated southpaws Davis and Martin was unclear but it seemed personal, although Davis has feuded with Stevenson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. as of late.
Performative provocations enable boxers to get in opponents’ heads as well as draw attention to fights. Davis has the punching ability to back up his boasts as evidenced by a blow in Round 2 that knocked Garcia down and slid him several feet backward on the mat. The touch-of-death left he delivered to Garcia’s ribs took three seconds to visibly take effect and cause the latter to take a knee.
Martin may not cause the kinds of commotions Davis does, but he’s a rising star with 18 wins, only three less than Davis. It didn’t seem to be as much about what Davis said as much as the way he said it that seemed to get under Martin’s skin. “The Ghost” will get his chance to channel that fury as he helps make history at MGM Grand Garden’s 100th fight.
2:15 p.m. June 15, starting at $179 plus tax and fee. axs.com
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