Fight fans love talking about the “what ifs” in boxing. What if, the Battle of Britain went down years ago? A boxing blockbuster that has been in the talks for ages but just does not become a reality. And now, even if Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua would choose to go with the idea, the oomph of their heavyweight titles being at stake that would have multiplied the expectations has gone even though it could very well bring the winner back into the hot topics.

If not the fans, even the fighters have the same question, what if?! And this one is a biggie! Back in 1989 when Muhammad Ali, Ray Leonard, and Mike Tyson were guests on the Aresenio Hall Show, Hall popped the big question to Ali, asking him, “Who would’ve won if you fought this man (Tyson) in your prime?” Without a second thought, Ali straightened on his couch and pointed at a young Mike, but quickly added the condition, “that’s if he catch me.” The roaring applause from the live audience only grew louder with Tyson’s wholesome response, “By no means I’m vain. I know I’m great. But can I tell you something? In this situation, every head must bow, every tongue must confess, this (Ali) is the greatest of all time!”

Then there is the question of what if Floyd Mayweather got in the ring with a prime Manny Pacquiao? While the two did face off a decade ago in The Fight of the Century and the close match only kept everyone’s hopes up as Mayweather took the win, many still wonder just what it would be like to see them go against each other at their best. In his prime, Mayweather could very well be described as a slicing knife in a fight. His speed, reflexes, footwork, all mixed with his defense could give a strong fight to a 2009 punching machine in Pac-Man who, with his conditioning, skills, and speed, would not have thrown the towel just as easily. But in the end, the thought remains of how the two took way too long to finally get into the ring against each other.

And now, we are in yet another what if situation that has already seen years of delay. Yes, I am talking about ‘The Biggest Fight in the World’. Yet another anticipated matchup between the WBA lightweight champion since 2019 Gervonta ‘Tank‘ Davis and the defending WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson that just doesn’t see the light of the day with tensions between His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Tank not finding a solution.

With a match set against Lamont Roach Jr. on March 1st at the legendary Barclay’s Center, New York, the prospect of Tank’s return became more real. While fans eagerly await his next move after the Roach fight, there are several fighters lined up to take a shot at the undefeated champion. For his part, Alalshikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, wants to bring Tank Davis into their fold so they make some of the biggest fights in boxing awaiting the Baltimore native.

Recently, ESPN’s Mike Coppinger sat down with Turki for an exclusive interview. The Ring Magazine later shared the clip on their Instagram account with the caption, “Turki Alalshikh speaks on potentially working with Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.”

In the interview, Alalshikh expressed his hope of organizing a future showdown between Davis and Shakur Stevenson. “I hope one day seeing Shakur against Tank,” His Excellency stated. This was shocking for Mike Coppinger given Alalshikh’s estranged relationship with Davis. Remember the Ring Magazine Awards event in London last month, and how Gervonta Davis went on a tirade online about not getting invited to the gala? With that history already in place, Turki Alalshikh extending an invitation for Tank was a bit unexpected.

Hence, Coppinger questioned, “So yeah, you and Canelo Alvarez were not on same page last year, so you are giving an invitation to Gervonta Davis?” To this, Alalshikh responded, “I don’t take anything as a personal. I am professional. I don’t need to like you to talk with you.” Once again, a surprised Coppinger asked, “But you appreciate Gervonta Davis’ talents, it seems?” And the owner of The Ring Magazine calmly said, “He is a great fighter of course. No doubt about this. But we need to see him in big fights more and more.”

The Saudi Royal clearly seems to keep his personal feelings away for the good of the sport, but he does not shy away in pointing out what has been voiced enough about Davis. Just when will he go against someone who can truly challenge him? Perhaps jump divisions and invite a high-profile fight before his retirement? ‘The Biggest Fight in the World’ just might give Tank’s followers what they truly want to see: Davis utilizing his full potential. Because with a 30-0 record, the big puncher from Baltimore is a great fighter.

Interestingly, Alalshikh isn’t the only one calling for a Davis-Stevenson clash. Boxing legend Mike Tyson has long voiced his support for the fight and has also chosen his favorite!

Shakur Stevenson’s challenge and Mike Tyson’s support

While Gervonta Davis has remained a hot topic in the boxing world, the upcoming fight between Shakur Stevenson and Floyd Schofield Jr. on February 22, has captured a great deal of attention. However, Stevenson isn’t just looking to defend his WBC Lightweight Championship; his eyes are set on the bigger prize: Gervonta Davis. During the Ring Magazine Awards gala in London, Shakur Stevenson had boldly referred to their potential fight as “the biggest fight in the world.”

In a later interview with Dev Sahni from Queensberry Promotions, Stevenson, however, expressed frustration with Davis’ mixed signals about fighting him. Despite feeling that their potential bout is the biggest fight in boxing currently, Shakur questioned whether Davis truly wanted it. He confessed, “I remember watching interviews where he says he’s going to come get me, and I am on his list. And then he’s like, ‘What has Shakur done for boxing? Who is he…?’ He seems very bipolar.”

Even a few months ago, while talking to Mase and Camron Giles on their podcast, ‘It Is What It Is’, Mike Tyson explained that Davis’ aggressive fighting style would be a perfect test for Stevenson and bring out the best in him. “Wow, that’s a good fight. I like to go with Tank. Everyone’s gonna go with Tank, but it would be a very interesting fight. Tank is just a monster right now,” Tyson began when asked about the fight.

However, he did not dismiss Shakur’s skills either. On the same podcast, he said, “Shakur takes a good shot, he’s a specialist. That’s why there are some fights that he doesn’t look good in, because he’s so superior. It’s boring watching sometimes, but he knows what he’s doing. To bring out the best in Shakur you gotta pressure him like Tank and we’ll see a great fight.”

So now, with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh pushing for the showdown, and Mike Tyson throwing his weight behind it, it’s clear that the world is waiting for Gervonta Davis to step up and make his move. What do you think? Is Mike Tyson right in predicting Davis’ victory in a future showdown with Shakur Stevenson? Will Tank be the next big fighter to join hands with the Riyadh Season?