It’s official...I guess.
Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan “King Ry” Garcia is set to happen April 22 in Las Vegas, at a venue to be determined.
As you may or may not know, I’ve been in the “This fight ain’t happening in April” camp all along. Well, guess what? I’m still in that camp.
I’ve never really doubted that a deal could be reached between both sides. Contracts and clauses didn’t concern me all that much. This will be a big money fight and it makes tons of business sense for both teams. Things were going to be worked out.
My concern always centered around the fighters, themselves. And that concern is still there. Davis could have some domestic “issues” between now and fight night. Garcia could injure himself doing a TikTok challenge or go through the same rough mental health patch that put him on the shelf before. Lots could happen between now and April 22.
But what we have now is a major positive. If everyone stays out of trouble and keeps away from the saddies, this fight-- which is an important one for many reasons-- is happening. Just keep your fingers crossed and light a few candles until fight night.
The big Tank-Garcia announcement on Friday blindsided everyone in the media, many who were saying just one day earlier that the slow roll in negotiations may be an ominous sign. What does that say about the boxing media, which adores its “Sources say” scoops? These guys (and gals) only know what they're told by promoters and publicists. This is across the board, everyone. No “news” gets out to anyone in the boxing media, without it being fed to them by a bossman for strategic purposes.
This doesn’t come as a surprise to many of us. The boxing media is weak and compromised, with useful idiots taking many of the spots that once belonged to straight-up for-sale hustlers (although there are still some of those, too). It’s important for fans to keep in mind that nearly all of the information we get through the media (or maybe ALL of it) is bartered public relations. Take everything you read and hear with a huge grain of salt.
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Jake Paul fought yesterday. And, as is the case every time the YouTuber/Influencer steps into the ring, the crybaby “purists” tinkle their panties in outrage.
They argue that Jake Paul has turned the sport of boxing into a circus and is taking attention away from more deserving fighters, who make much smaller purses than “The Problem Child.”
As usual, these pantsloads are wrong.
It’s not like more deserving “real” boxers would suddenly be headlining the big-money, mainstream-friendly cards Jake Paul headlines if he were no longer in the picture. I mean, seriously. At the very least, Jake Paul (and other celebrity boxers) do neither harm nor good. However, there’s an argument to be made that these celebrity fights are a real benefit to the sport.
Recent awareness/popularity studies have found boxing to actually be surging in popularity among Gen. Z youth. The sport is now the fourth most popular among young people. But most of those young people who identify themselves as boxing fans can’t name a single active “real” boxer. Actually, more than three-quarters can’t.
So what does that mean?
It means that all of these Jake Paul-type fluff fights are keeping the sport in the forefront of young people’s minds and, in doing so, keeping boxing relevant. They’re exposing the youth to boxing and the youth is liking it. That’s a hell of a lot more than the establishment “real” world of boxing has been able to do.
These boxing “purists” need to stop fetishizing nostalgia and treating the sport like their own private club. They need to realize that growth and outreach are essential to the overall well-being of the sport. Mainstream attention is always a good thing. It’s certainly not Jake Paul’s fault if the boxing establishment can’t/won’t use that attention to their benefit.
By the way, Tommy Fury would beat Jake Paul via split decision in their 8-round cruiserweight contest Sunday afternoon in Saudi Arabia. As of this writing, boxing has not been killed off yet.
Got something for Magno? Send it here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com