Tony Bellew is confident that Gervonta Davis ends his upcoming contest with Ryan Garcia by stoppage.
Davis and Garcia have crossed promotional and broadcast boundaries to make the 136lb catchweight contest happen. With 45 knockouts between them, and a huge combined fanbase, the fight is set to be the biggest of 2023.
Bellew, a former cruiserweight world champion turned pundit, told Seconds Out that he believes Davis has the beating of Garcia through sheer power.
“Can’t wait to see it. Really like both fighters, but I just can’t see Ryan Garcia going twelve rounds without getting caught clean. I do think he’ll be ahead when he gets stopped, but I do believe he gets stopped.
Gervonta Davis is the biggest puncher I’ve seen in the lighter divisions since Naseem Hamed. This boy is a killer, and his finishing are second to none. He hurts you, he finishes you, every single time. There is no debating that.”
Bellew does, however, see a path to victory for Garcia if he can make fundamental changes in camp. He pointed out a few flaws of ‘Tank’s that will see the underdog up on the cards.
“His work rate, his lack of flow, starting slow in fights. That’s why I think he’ll be behind against Ryan Garcia. Garcia will start quick, he is lighting fast. When you’ve got speed like that, there is no need to get into exchanges because you can hit someone and be gone before he even reacts.
But he doesn’t. He seems to switch off in fights and he seems to get caught. If he can iron out them problems before he faces Gervonta, then he has a chance.
But I don’t see him going twelve rounds without getting hit clean – and the moment he hits the floor will be the moment he gets taken out.”
Davis and Garcia put their undefeated records on the line on April 22 in Las Vegas.