“Tank Knows to Keep His Mouth Closed”: Gary Russell Jr. Adamant on Gervonta Davis Fight

Gary Russell Jr. wants a mega fight right now and he wants it against Gervonta Davis. The American fighter has opened a new trash-talking front, as he tries to incite his rival and create a buzz for the fight. It seems he is the only one fighting on this end, as ‘Tank’ has decided to keep quiet.

Russell Jr., 36, has been on the shelf for over two years and is without a title. In his last fight against Mark Magsayo, he suffered a close defeat, as he entered the ring with an undisclosed hand injury. Now that he has healed, he wants to close off his career with a money-minting, high-profile fight. While he has zeroed in on Davis, the latter has been reluctant to exchange words with him.

The former featherweight champion explained the situation in a conversation with The Boxing Voice. He disclosed that he wanted the fight against Davis but there had been no back-and-forth about it. He said, “We never went back and forth. I’m the only one that’s been saying sh*t. Tank knows to keep his mouth closed when it comes to me.”

Russell Jr., at 31-2, has, therefore, suggested that Davis doesn’t want to fight with him. But he has only doubled down on the Baltimore native, as he even blasted his choice of opponent in Lamont Roach. He told FightHype, “Tank has been fighting a lot of people that [fans] don’t want to see him fight anyway. I could have seen that coming.” That’s not it. The Washington native believed Davis wouldn’t be able to pick favorable opponents for long.

Gary Russell Jr. slams Gervonta Davis for cherrypicking

Russell Jr. explained that fans and media networks would mount pressure on Davis, eventually resulting in Davis picking up better opponents. He continued, “I don’t think he can do that for much longer.” The former WBC champion then cast his prediction of the fight between Davis and Roach. He had Davis winning the fight, especially if both were 100% healthy.

Russell Jr. declared, “If they’re both 100% healthy, I don’t think Lamont has a chance of winning this fight. In my personal opinion, I don’t think Lamont is going to win the fight.” His comments resonate with many fans, who have shunned the matchup, as Lamont is moving up a division and challenging for the crown. In addition, many have argued that Davis has picked Lamont to beef up his resume, as he continued avoiding picking fights with other champions in the lightweight division. However, no one is sure how Davis’ camp has charted out his next few fights.

What do you make of these comments by Gary Russell Jr. about Gervonta Davis? Do you think a fight between the two is possible next? Let us know in the comments below.