Gervonta Davis is about to square off against Frank Martin on June 15 at the MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas! This highly anticipated bout features two undefeated super lightweight fighters who are eager to prove themselves on one of boxing’s biggest stages. Davis, known for his explosive power and quick footwork, will be defending his WBA lightweight title against Martin, a rising star with a reputation for his technical prowess and relentless determination. 

Both fighters have demonstrated exceptional skill and resilience in their careers, making this clash a must-watch event. Martin is particularly motivated, aiming to not only claim Davis’ title but also to solidify his status as one of the elite fighters in the division. With both athletes at the peak of their abilities, fans can expect an intense and thrilling battle from start to finish. However, with just a couple of days remaining in the fight, questions about Davis’ height seem to have been a topic of curiosity in many social media forums. Is he really 6 inches away from dwarfism?

How tall is Gervonta Davis?

A post on Reddit too raised the same issue. So let us look at the matter in detail. Gervonta Davis is 5.5” tall, which is basically 6 odd inches away from the maximum height of people suffering from dwarfism, which is 4.10″, per Little People of America (LPA), an advocacy group for people with dwarfism and their families. So, in a way, yes ‘Tank’ Davis is 6” away from dwarfism. According to Nemours TeensHealth, Dwarfism is caused by changes in bone and cartilage growth. It’s also worth mentioning that Dwarfism isn’t a disease that needs a cure! Just like their taller peers, people with this condition traverse life just like anyone else, but with a slight disadvantage.

Not to forget, this disorder can happen to anyone regardless of whether their parents had it to begin with. Notably, this condition manifests when there is a random mutation in either the father’s sperm or in the mother’s eggs. However, there could be several specific causes for different types of dwarfism, including Achondroplasia, Turner Syndrome, Growth Hormone deficiency and others may include genetic disorders, deficiencies in other hormones, or poor nutrition.

So, in that sense, Gervonta Davis doesn’t have the disorder, rather it’s more likely his genes are the cause for his comparatively short stature. And it’s not like Davis is the shortest boxer to ever enter the ring! Willie Pep was also the same height as Davis, who accomplished so much in the sport. Having retired from boxing at the age of 42 in 1966, Pep held a legendary record of 229-11-1. Known for his speed and finesse in the ring, Pep is often considered one of the best boxers of the 20th century, like Davis is today. 

And even before Pep, Henry Armstrong, again at 5.5”, was just as big a deal! He was the first ever boxer to hold championship titles in three different divisions, featherweight, welterweight, and lightweight divisions, to be exact. Retired in 1945, the legendary boxer had an impressive record of 152-21-9 in an era where the best could not dodge the best. The shorter height didn’t affect these legends, but will it affect Gervonta Davis come fight night?

Short height: An advantage or disadvantage for Davis in the Frank Martin fight?

Let’s begin by looking at Martin’s height—Martin stands as the taller opponent in Davis’ upcoming clash at 5.8”, giving the Detroit, Michigan native a three-inch height advantage. But is it really an advantage? Davis fought Ryan Garcia in his last fight, who is roughly the same height as Martin at 5.8”, but the world knows what happened next. Davis’ short height helped him dodge most of Garcia’s killer left hooks.

Not to mention, Davis didn’t need to do much to duck under most of the shots. In the end, Davis sent Garcia home after a bone-crushing body shot, which is close to him because of his short height. Now let’s consider the Mario Barrios fight, where his opponent was significantly taller than Davis at 6.0”.

Davis dominated the match, dropping Barrios twice in the 8th round and once in the 11th before ending the fight. So, if height was really an issue for Davis, these things shouldn’t have been possible, especially the Barrios win. In boxing skills and IQ matter more than physical abilities.

With that said, it’s safe to say that despite his short height, which is 6” away from dwarfism, Gervonta Davis shouldn’t really have any issues in beating Frank Martin on June 15. And if he loses, it will not be because of his height, rather, it would be because of Martin’s skills. What do you think? Does Davis’ height affect his boxing?