What do boxing fans really want? Do they want a highly technical boxing display that plays out for the entire distance of twelve rounds? Maybe, they want high-octane action that ultimately leads to one of the opponents lying unconscious on the canvas. Or, is it a bit of both? Well, according to some boxing experts, Gervonta Davis has given a solution to the conundrum, with fans eagerly wanting to see him in action. But, why?

The most explosive fighter in the lightweight division, Davis, has proved time and again that he is an entertaining fighter. Scoring twenty-eight knockouts in thirty fights, Davis is already a huge pay-per-view attraction. His fighting style is quite unique, combining power with keen observation, and patience to land that one deadly knockout blow. On the other hand, fighters like Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson, even after being elite world championship-level boxers, fail to pull in modern combat sports fans. Can their waning appeal only be attributed to their failure to deliver knockouts? Or is there another reason behind it?

18-year-old boxing protégé Curmel Moton, hailing from retired boxing legend Floyd Mayweather’s stable of fighters, attempted to answer the question in a recent interview with FightHype. The interviewer asked Moton— “‘Tank’ is a knockout artist. Do you feel like in order to get to that superstar status,  you have to bring the people knockouts? Do you think that boxing is going to get there?”

The 5-0 fighter acknowledged that Davis’ boxing style has definitely changed how people perceive boxing, but at the same time, he also added that knockouts aren’t the only thing that makes a boxer a PPV attraction. “I wouldn’t say, you need to bring a whole bunch of knockouts. Definitely helps, but you definitely got to be a fan favorite and have an exciting style,” explained the young super featherweight.

“A lot of people are looking for knockouts right now, seeing that Tank kind of changed the way boxing fans are looking at fights right now. You know every fight he has — you know it’s a big knockout coming, and so that’s why they criticize the guys like Shakur (Stevenson) and Devin (Haney) so much,” he further stated.

In terms of knockout ratio, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney have secured a measly 45.45% and 48.39% respectively, compared to Tank’s impressive 93.33%. In fact, in Shakur’s case, the situation got so bad, that his hometown crowd at Newark booed his last performance against Artem Harutyunyan in July this year because of his lack of aggression inside the ring.

In the end, Curmel Moton concluded the argument by stating that a “fan-favorite style” would make a boxer stand out rather than a “knockout every time”. Meanwhile, in an earlier interview, former heavyweight champion, Roy Jones Jr., also explained what makes Gervonta Davis such a exciting fighter.

Deadly “chess player” and “killer”!

In an interview with former NBA player Stephen Jackson, ‘Captain Hook’ heaped praise on the Baltimore native. According to the four-division-champion, Davis possesses the deadly combination of excellent boxing IQ, and punching power, making him one of the “best ones of the coup”.

“Some that can punch, can’t box. He can box, he can punch, he can move laterally, he can do it left side, right side,” Roy Jones Jr said. Additionally, the retired boxing great likes how Gervonta Davis “sets up the punch” before he can generate the “shock” with his fist that knocks an opponent out cold. This quality makes Davis a great “chess player” in the ring, which helps him build the ‘killer’ persona with the help of his freakish power.

How would you describe Tank’s style? Do you prefer Shakur and Haney’s style of defensive fighting over Gervonta Davis’ calculated offense? Moreover, do you agree with Curmel Moton’s assessment about what makes a fighter a PPV attraction? Let us know in the comment section below.