Gervonta “Tank” Davis delivered a Knockout of the Year candidate over four-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz in the most significant fight of his career, retaining his WBA Lightweight title and picking up the WBA Super Featherweight title Saturday night on SHOWTIME PPV® at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It was both fighters’ pay-per-view main event debut, and Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) and Santa Cruz (37-2-1, 19 KOs).
After mixing it up for six rounds, a huge left uppercut did it as Santa Cruz was knocked out prompting the referee to immediately waive the fight.
Davis retains his WBA lightweight title.
“The uppercut wasn’t the key coming into the fight, but I adapted to what he was bringing,” said Baltimore’s Davis. “I knew he was taller and crouching down and moving forward. Once he moved forward, I tried to jab and make him run into the shot. He was right there for it. He punches, but he doesn’t try to get out of the way. There was nowhere for him to go on that knockout because I got him into the corner.
The power and body attack of the 25-year-old Davis was the difference as he landed 55 percent of his power punches to 29 percent for Santa Cruz, who was having his best round of the fight in the sixth round prior to the defining punch. The stronger Davis lured the 32-year-old Santa Cruz into a firefight as 34 of Davis’ 84 landed punches were body shots.
“Leo is a tough warrior and a strong Mexican fighter,” said Davis, who is promoted by all-time great Floyd Mayweather. “He came ready for me. I was just the better fighter tonight. I want to maintain both belts. Whatever decision me and my team comes up with, we’ll go with it. I’m not ducking or dodging anybody. I’m a pay-per-view star. Everybody knows I’m number one and I showed it tonight.”
“We didn’t get the win, but I’m okay,” said Santa Cruz, who was taken to a nearby hospital for observation.
Barrios KO's Karl
In the co-feature, San Antonio’s hometown favorite Mario Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact and retained his WBA Super Lightweight title with a sixth-round KO over a game and bloodied Ryan Karl (18-3, 12 KOs) on Halloween night.
Prograis TKO's Heraldez in 3
Former world champion Regis Prograis (25-1, 21 KOs) took the first step to getting back on top of the 140-pound division, scoring a third-round stoppage of Juan Heraldez (16-1-1, 10 KOs) in the second bout of the night.
Cruz Makes Quick Work of Magdaleno
In the pay-per-view telecast opener, Mexico City’s Isaac Cruz (20-1-1, 15 KOs) wasted no time in getting the fans on their feet, scoring a stunning first-round knockout of Diego Magdaleno (32-4, 13 KOs) just 53 seconds into the night’s action