PBC in Crisis: Can Gervonta Davis Fill the Void Left by Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford?

First, it was Showtime Boxing, a loyal partner for 10 years. Then it was Terence Crawford, who came trying to cash in with a fight with Errol Spence Jr. Now, it is Canelo Alvarez, who has jumped ship. The situation is dire and tumultuous for the PBC. The demise of a broadcast partner and fighters taking an exit door have put the promotion in flux. Al Haymon‘s stable is in turmoil, and there is only one name that offers a glimmer of hope: Gervonta Davis.

The dawn of a new era of dominance was on the horizon when Canelo Alvarez joined the PBC last year. But within a year, he left the promotion hanging in the face of a brewing storm of uncertainty. As Errol Spence Jr. failed to trigger his rematch clause, ‘Bud’ is now also a free agent. Without them, the PBC now prepares for its first event of 2024 with Amazon’s Prime Video on March 30 in Las Vegas, a PPV headlined by Tim Tszyu and Keith Thurman. However, they are waiting for ‘Tank’ to mark his return to the square circle and rescue them.

Can Gervonta Davis pull the PBC out of the mess?

You have to be special when Madonna watches you unload punches from the ringside. In 2022, the American boxer broke the live gate record at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as his punches slammed Rolando Romero shut and left him face flat on the canvas. He is the American fans’ darling and one of the most prodigiously gifted boxers.

Then you add the rags-to-riches backstory, and you have the walking embodiment of the American Dream. Not to mention his crowd-friendly fighting style and an unblemished record of 29-0 with 27 KOs. The Baltimore native’s authenticity also adds to his charm. The reasons to like him are many, and it’s no wonder he is a household name in the States.

And Davis brings in numbers. He backs his shit-talking with brutal and hard-hitting punches. His 1.1 million PPV buys with Ryan Garcia fight is a testament to his popularity. That’s something the PBC will rely on when Frank Martin welcomes him to the boxing ring this summer. But there are drawbacks to having him, too.

‘Tank’ and his popularity and the misses

The PBC desperately needs a Davis win, and that too spectacularly whenever he returns against Martin. But what they don’t want him to do is chase negative headlines. When you are Davis, you find yourself making headlines, and sometimes they do more harm than good. For instance, the reason the PBC could afford the 29-year-old’s services in the latter part of last year was his 44 days’ imprisonment.

Read More: “He’ll Do Anything to Stay Away”: Jose Benavidez Sr. Calls Out “Scared” Canelo Alvarez for Avoiding David Benavidez Fight, Demands Sanctioning Bodies to Be Fair

Davis has the habit of running into trouble with the authorities, and if it were a sport with a central authority, his hit-and-run crash in November 2020 might have ended his career short. He has once suffered because of his actions, and if he doesn’t correct them soon, the PBC might end up suffering. Not only will it hit their finances hard, but also their reputation, which has already dwindled and is frowned upon by other promoters and promotions.

Time for the PBC to shed its ignorance

The PBC has stuck with its old formula that everything happens inside the stable, while the world around it has shifted. The boxing world is transitioning, and the hard lines between promotions are getting thinner. Eddie Hearn has attacked the rival promotion, citing similar attitude issues as the Alvarez-PBC breakup story made the news.

The PBC reportedly pushed for a Jermall Charlo fight when the fans didn’t want a revenge storyline. It failed to meet Alvarez on the middle ground regarding a probable fight with David Benavidez, especially when both are managed by it. Moreover, there is an unwillingness to let their fighters fight on other networks. Top Rank has in the past accused the PBC of monopolizing, and the claims still hold water.

Despite boasting the names of Gervonta Davis and Errol Spence Jr., the PBC has to cave into the increasing need to work with other promoters and promotions. Davis alone can’t plug the holes. If Alvarez wants to fight Jaime Munguia, extend a hand to Oscar De La Hoya and DAZN. If Davis and Shakur Stevenson want to square off, you need Bob Arum. The PBC can’t get out of the mess this time solely with Davis’ hands.

What do you make of this current tumultuous situation for the PBC? Do you believe Gervonta Davis offers a ray of hope for the promotion? Let us know in the comments below.

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