Davis pleads guilty to four counts, but sentencing isn't until May 5
Lightweight star would be available to face Ryan Garcia on April 15
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Gervonta Davis pleaded guilty on Thursday morning to four charges related to a hit-and-run accident he was involved in in November 2020 in his hometown of Baltimore.
Davis, who faced 14 counts in the incident, is set to be sentenced on May 5. That means he would be available for a highly anticipated Showtime PPV fight against Ryan Garcia.
That 136-pound nontitle bout is penciled in for April 15 in Las Vegas and looms as one of the biggest fights of the year. Davis’ team at Premier Boxing Champions and Garcia promoter Golden Boy are in the final stages of exchanging comments on the contracts and are close to finalizing the paperwork, a source involved in the fight told Fight Freaks Unite.
Davis, the WBA “regular” lightweight titlist, would face Garcia one pound over the division limit. He would still have to be licensed in Nevada and a criminal conviction could be an issue, although the sides are proceeding as though the fight would happen, the source said.
Davis was due to stand trial on Dec. 12 before its start was postponed until Thursday. Before the trial began, Davis entered a guilty plea.
The charges stemmed from an incident in the early hours of Nov. 5, 2020, when Davis left the scene of a car accident after driving a 2020 Lamborghini Uris SUV through a red light and hit the passenger side of a 2004 Toyota Solara before abandoning the scene.
Davis made the guilty plea in front of Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy and, according to reports, he did so without a plea agreement setting forth what the penalty will be at his May sentencing hearing. Based on the rejection of a previous plea deal because there was no jail time it would indicate that he will serve time.
During a previous hearing, Davis had agreed to a plea deal with the Baltimore City State Attorney's Office that would have seen him avoid jail time and serve 60 days of house arrest. However, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn declined to approve the plea arrangement because there was no jail time associated with it and she was moved by testimony from one of the victims. Thus, the trial was scheduled.
The crash injured four people. Jyair Smith, a pregnant woman, testified that she was trapped in the Toyota screaming for help and that Davis “looked me in the eyes, and he never came over to help.” Smith, who suffered a serious knee injury, is also suing Davis in civil court.
Three others settled civil cases with Davis. Witnesses testified, and there was video footage, that Davis left the scene. If convicted on all 14 counts Davis faced a maximum of 50 months in prison.
Davis (28-0, 26 KOs), 28, knocked out Hector Luis Garcia in the ninth round to retain his secondary title on Jan. 7 at a sold-out Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., in a Showtime PPV main event to set up the planned fight with Ryan Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs), 24, of Los Angels, in a showdown of two of boxing’s most popular current fighters.
Besides the hit-and-run case in Baltimore, Davis is also due in a South Florida court on Feb. 23 because of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge he pleaded not guilty to. Vanessa Posso, the mother of one of his children, accused him of striking her in a Dec. 27 incident. She frantically called 911, and Davis was arrested and spent a night in jail. But she later recanted her story and said she would not testify, meaning that case likely will be dropped.
Davis photo: Ryan Hafey/PBC
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We all know 'mental fitness' is one of the biggest assets a fighter carries into the ring with him/her for a fight. I, like Dan, believe this fight will still happen since the sentencing is AFTER the date of the showdown with Garcia. The questions is, "Will Tank be ready to fight at 100% against Garcia mentally?" Garcia is not to be taken lightly although he is the underdog. But really, IS HE the underdog? Garcia and Goosen evidently see something favorable for Ryan G......and I know lots of what they see is the CASH this fight will bring.............because it will! IF at anytime ....there is a time fo fight TANK......it is now. I say the fight is 50/50 for many obvious reasons. Keep punching Dan in bringing in all the news.
Even though Davis isn’t facing jail time you have to wonder how all of these outside distractions ,that have to be stressful ,will affect him against Garcia.
I’ve seen it many time in boxing , these bad decisions show up in the ring. I feel Ryan will have an edge for victory