LAS VEGAS — Ryan Garcia already went down in weight once for Gervonta “Tank” Davis. He doesn’t sound interested in doing it again. Fresh off a second-round stoppage of Conor Benn to retain his WBC welterweight championship, Garcia has turned his attention toward unfinished business with Davis. But before two of boxing’s biggest stars can share the ring for a second time, they have a significant problem to solve.
The weight. Garcia wants the rematch at the full 147-pound welterweight limit. Davis initially indicated he would fight Garcia at 140 pounds before later floating a compromise of 144. Garcia isn’t impressed.
“He don’t want me at 147,” Garcia said during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. “Cool, you got me at 136. Prove to me you’re really like that. He doesn’t want to. He’s showing fear.”
And just like that, one of boxing’s most lucrative potential rematches has another storyline.
Garcia Hasn’t Forgotten the First Fight
To understand why Garcia is digging in at 147 pounds, you have to go back to April 22, 2023. Garcia and Davis met at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in one of the biggest commercial boxing events of the year. Davis ultimately ended the fight in the seventh round with a devastating body shot that left Garcia unable to beat the count.
But the circumstances surrounding the weight have remained a talking point ever since. The fight was contested at a 136-pound catchweight and included a 10-pound rehydration restriction. Garcia has repeatedly maintained that the conditions negatively affected him.
None of that changes the official result. Davis won. But Garcia believes the circumstances should be different if they fight again. This time, Garcia is the WBC welterweight champion, and he wants Davis to come to him.
“Gervonta cool, but he don’t want the smoke,” Garcia said in another message directed at Davis. “What’s up with you? I went to 136, you can’t come to 147. Don’t be shaky now.”
Will Tank agree to run it back on equal terms this time around? As of right now it doesn’t seem like it but money talks and this saga is far from over.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
