Davis sends Martin on the canvas to retain WBA lightweight title

Gervonta “Tank” Davis made a powerful return to the ring with a dramatic eighth-round knockout of Frank Martin on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

This victory extended Davis’s undefeated record to 30-0, with 28 of those wins coming by knockout, and allowed him to retain his WBA lightweight title.

After the longest layoff of his professional career, Davis showcased his trademark one-punch power, particularly with a left uppercut followed by a straight left that sent Martin into the ropes and onto the canvas, ending the fight definitively.

The Baltimore native’s strategy involved conceding most of the first six rounds to gather data on Martin, who entered the seventh round with a 37-31 edge in power punches according to CompuBox statistics.

The Gervonta Davis KO in slow motion. WOW. Picture perfect uppercut and hook. Tank, indeed. #TankMartin pic.twitter.com/GbgbB8dFOB

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However, Davis turned the fight around in the seventh round, landing 19 power punches compared to Martin’s 11. This set the stage for the final round where Davis cornered Martin and unleashed a series of powerful punches. A clean left punch stunned Martin, and Davis followed with another decisive blow that sealed his victory, much to the delight of the crowd of 13,249 spectators.

This win marked Davis’s fourth consecutive knockout, reinforcing his reputation as one of boxing’s most formidable punchers and a dominant force in the lightweight division.