Gervonta Davis has been one of the dominant forces at lightweight in recent years and now Shawn Porter has predicted how the hard-hitting ‘Tank’ would have fared against a prime Manny Pacquiao.
Davis knocked out Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2019 to get his hands on the WBA (Regular) lightweight title, which he defended on four occasions before being elevated to full world champion at the beginning of 2024.
Since then, the three-division world champion has defended the belt twice, halting Frank Martin and then controversially drawing with Lamont Roach Jnr, before being stripped of his title and being named as champion-in-recess earlier this year.
Still, Davis remains undefeated and is perceived to be the man to beat in the lightweight division, but two-time welterweight ruler Shawn Porter told The PorterWay Podcast that he would have proved no match for Pacquiao, due to a lack of experience, energy and maturity.
“When you talk about a fight with ‘Tank’ Davis, respectfully to him, and Manny Pacquiao – you really don’t have a conversation at 135lbs. This is Manny, in his peak, this is the Manny that had so much energy and so much to offer, so much to give.
“Someone like Tank Davis, the number one thing that you have to understand is that, right now, Tank is still not mature enough to be in the ring with Manny Pacquiao on a fight night.
“Tank, right now, fighting a Manny Pacquiao at 135, is not mature enough, not seasoned enough, not experienced enough to get in the ring and go toe-to-toe with Manny for the course of a 12-round fight.
“He just don’t have the experience for that, that kid’s engine ain’t ran in enough different directions for him to be in the ring with Manny Pacquiao.”
Pacquiao was last in action in July when he fought to a draw in a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, and the Filipino icon is set to return in September when he faces former rival Floyd Mayweather at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
As for Davis, his next move remains unknown, though it was recently reported he was in advanced talks to face one man in particular.