Notebook: Martin on Tank: 'I’m gonna whoop his ass'
PBC's August plans; Mayweather brings in Schaefer after Ellerbe breakup; Inoue ordered to fight Akhmadaliev; Billam-Smith seeks to retain title, exact revenge vs. Riakporhe; Quick hits; Show and tell
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LAS VEGAS — Lightweight contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin believes he is ready for his moment in the spotlight and has exuded confidence as he heads into his first world title fight.
Martin will challenge WBA lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis on Saturday (Prime Video PPV, PPV.com, 8 p.m. ET) in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card that will be the milestone 100th championship boxing event inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which has hosted dozens of historic bouts.
Unlike some of Davis’ past opponents, Martin comes off as having true belief that he can pull the upset against the heavily favored Davis, who will be making his fifth title defense and fighting for the first time since he knocked out Ryan Garcia in their nontitle mega fight 14 months ago and then served 44 days in jail on a hit-and-run conviction.
“I feel like this is one of those moments where all the hard work I put in is paying off,” Martin said. “With all the work I’ve been putting in leading up to the fight, and all the work I’ve put in over the years, this just feels like a life changing moment. This is my time to come out on top.
“I just need to be composed, be calm and be who I am. I can’t let any of the antics or crowd or the noise get in the way of me getting the victory.”
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Martin (18-0, 12 KOs), 29, of Indianapolis, who is promoted by former unified welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr. and trained by the renowned Derrick James, does not have the pro experience of Davis (29-0, 27 KOs), 29, of Baltimore, and has not beaten top opposition but he was a standout amateur and has displayed a balanced attack and sound defense.
He is coming off an 11-month layoff since a close decision over 2016 German Olympic bronze medalist Artem Harutyunyan last July that he punctuated with a 12th-round knockdown.
In the fight before that, in December 2022, Martin stunningly routed then-unbeaten Michel Rivera in a bout that was expected to be highly competitive.
Davis, however, is on another level even though Martin did not seem too concerned.
“I feel like this is gonna be a good fight. We all know what ‘Tank’ brings, but a lot of guys don’t know what I bring,” Martin said. “They know a little bit of it, but they don’t know the full arsenal I have.
“We know ‘Tank’ is explosive and fast. He’s got it all, but on fight night, the world will see that I’ve got it all too. So it’s gonna be two dogs in there locking up like pitbulls. The best man will win that night. I believe in myself, even if the world is against me. I know the work that I put in.”
Martin and Davis sparred a few years ago at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas and they have had different versions about how it went. Martin said it have anything to do with what transpires in the real fight.
“Sparring is just sparring,” Martin said. “We have this fight Saturday and I’m gonna whoop his ass. We have Saturday to show who’s who.
“I feel like I was born to do this. I feel it in my body. It’s just time for me to show up and show out. The goal is to go in there and beat Gervonta Davis. I’m here to take his spot. I’m here for a reason. I’m here to take over.
Davis-Martin PPV lineup
Lightweights: Gervonta “Tank” Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) vs. Frank Martin (18-0, 12 KOs), 12 rounds, for Davis’ WBA title
Light heavyweights: David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs), 12 rounds, for vacant WBC interim title
Junior welterweights: Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) vs. Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs), 12 rounds, for vacant WBC interim title
Middleweights: Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (24-3, 12 KOs), 12 rounds, for Adames’ WBC title
Preliminaries free on Prime Video (5:30 p.m. ET)
Middleweights: Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) vs. Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs), 10 rounds
Junior lightweights: Mark Magsayo (25-2, 17 KOs) vs. Eduardo Ramirez (28-3-3, 13 KOs), 10 rounds
Junior lightweights Justin Viloria (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Angel Contreras (15-8-2, 9 KOs), 8 rounds
Title Sports Network latest
We previewed the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin card and also discussed other boxing topics: the recent drunk Tyson Fury video and what it may mean for him; Ryan Garcia’s arrest; the possibility of a Saudi Arabian-funded boxing league; the latest on Canelo Alvarez’s IBF mandatory situation and more. Check out our Title Sports Network video here and also subscribe to the YouTube channel:
PBC’s August plans
Premier Boxing Champions and Prime Video are planning their next card for Aug. 10 or Aug. 17, sources with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. It would be their first non-pay-per-view card since they began their partnership this year.
Former super middleweight titlist Caleb Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) is supposed to appear in the main event with former unified junior featherweight titlist Stephen Fulton in the featherweight co-feature, the sources said.
Plant, 31, of Las Vegas, will look to rebound from a decision loss to David Benavidez in their WBC interim title bout in March 2023.
Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs), 29, of Philadelphia, who will seek to rebound from losing his two belts by eighth-round knockout to Naoya Inoue last July, probably will face two-time junior featherweight title challenger Ronny Rios (34-4, 17 KOs), 34, of Santa Ana, California.
Floyd, Ellerbe split
In a surprise, Floyd Mayweather announced Thursday via Instagram that Leonard Ellerbe, his longtime right-hand man and the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, was leaving the company.
Ellerbe had been an integral part of Mayweather’s team since his early days as a professional fighter, serving as a strength and conditioning coach and corner man before becoming deeply involved in the business side of Mayweather’s career before and after he retired.
Replacing Ellerbe is Richard Schaefer, the co-founder and former longtime Golden Boy CEO, who has had a long relationship with Mayweather and promoted most of his biggest fights.
“Mayweather Promotions would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Leonard Ellerbe for his exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication over the years,” Mayweather posted in his statement. “Leonard has been an integral part of our team, contributing to numerous business endeavors that have played a pivotal role in the success of Mayweather Promotions.
“After years of hard work and dedication, Leonard has made the heartfelt decision to step down as CEO to spend more time with his family and loved ones. We have the utmost respect for his decision and are incredibly grateful for his leadership that has helped shape Mayweather Promotions into the thriving organization it is today.
“As we move forward, we are excited to announce that Mayweather Promotions will be joining forces with Richard Schaefer, a highly sought after finance expert and a phenomenal founder in the world of promotional boxing, with over forty years experience combined. Together, we will expand our presence by establishing Mayweather Headquarters in Los Angeles. Our goal is to elevate Mayweather Promotions to global success, supporting fighters worldwide and assisting them in making rewarding business decisions that will benefit them well beyond their boxing careers. We look forward to this new chapter and the continued global success of Mayweather Promotions.”
Mayweather Promotions has been a very inactive company in recent years and Schaefer has been out of boxing for the past few years also but happy to be back.
“Floyd and me have been friends for a long time, and we have obviously had great success,” Schaefer said. “I was very fortunate to promote many of his biggest fights, breaking pay-per-view records, and there was always a mutual respect between the two of us. I think there’s a tremendous opportunity to expand that brand within boxing and outside of boxing as well.”
Mayweather’s announcement came two nights before former Mayweather Promotions fighter Gervonta Davis will headline a pay-per-view card against Frank Martin and it is no secret that Mayweather has not been happy that Davis hired Ellerbe, who has had a longstanding relationship with him, to work with him and help promote the event.
BetUS Boxing Show
If you missed the BetUS Boxing Show live at 1 p.m. ET on Friday on YouTube, please check out the replay (and also subscribe to the YouTube channel). We previewed three Saturday fights: Gervonta Davis’ WBA lightweight title defense against Frank Martin in the PBC on Prime PPV main event and light heavyweight David Benavidez against Oleksandr Gvozdyk for the vacant WBC interim light heavyweight title in the co-feature as well as IBF junior welterweight titlist Subriel Matias’ Puerto Rico homecoming defense against Liam Paro in the Matchroom Boxing main event on DAZN. We also took viewer questions and comments and discussed the latest boxing news! Please check out the show here:
Inoue-Akhmadaliev ordered
The WBA on Thursday ordered undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue to next face Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev, the organization’s mandatory challenger and former unified champion.
The WBA sent a letter to Inoue representative Akihiko Honda of Teiken Boxing and Akhmadaliev promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing notifying them of the order and telling Inoue “you must defend the title against the next leading available contender within nine months from the date you became the champion. Since you won the title on December 26, 2023, the next obligatory championship bout should take place no (later) than September 25, 2024.”
They were given 30 days (until July 14) to negotiate an agreement or the WBA will schedule a purse bid.
Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), 31, of Japan, the reigning fighter of the year, defended the undisputed crown via sixth-round knockout of former two-division titlist Luis Nery on May 6 at the sold-out Tokyo Dome.
Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) lost the unified WBA/IBF titles by split decision to Marlon Tapales in April 2023. Tapales would go on to lose them to Inoue in their undisputed title fight in December. Akhmadaliev has won his only fight since, an eighth-round knockout of Kevin Gonzalez in December.
Billam-Smith seeks revenge
WBO cruiserweight titlist Chris Billam-Smith’s only loss was a 10-round split decision to British countryman Richard Riakporhe, who scored a seventh-round knockdown when they met in July 2019.
Billam-Smith (19-1, 13 KOs), 33, went on to win a world title and is set to make his second defense in a rematch with mandatory challenger Riakporhe (17-0, 13 KOs), 34, in the main event of the Boxxer card on Saturday (Peacock in U.S., 1:30 p.m. ET; Sky Sports in U.K.) at Selhurst Park in London.
As far as Billam-Smith is concerned their first fight has zero to do with what may occur in the rematch.
“I’m different in so many ways,” Billam-Smith said. “It’s so irrelevant as I almost see me as a different person and almost see myself as if it was 20 years ago. All the experience I’ve had of world championship fights and headlining the big shows — I will use all that experience and go there and perform. I believe I’ll stop him inside the distance. He’s in for a shock.”
After the loss, Billam-Smith went on to outpoint Lawrence Okolie to win the WBO title in May 2023 and then defended it for the first time via eighth-round knockout of Mateusz Masternak in December.
Riakporhe get the title shot in his hometown and plans make it a celebration for him and his fans.
“I’ve been waiting for a very long time,” Riakporhe said. “I’m hungry and ready to challenge and take this title, then win some more.”
Quick hits
Weights from Las Vegas for the PBC card on Saturday (Prime Video PPV and PPV.com, 8 p.m. ET): Gervonta “Tank” Davis 133.4 pounds, Frank Martin 134.4 (for Davis’ WBA lightweight title); David Benavidez 174.2, Oleksandr Gvozdyk 174.2 (for vacant WBC interim light heavyweight title); Gary Antuanne Russell 138.2, Alberto Puello 139.8 (for vacant WBC interim junior welterweight title); Carlos Adames 159.2, Terrell Gausha 160 (for Adames’ WBC middleweight title); Elijah Garcia 163.2, Kyrone Davis 160.4; Mark Magsayo 129.4, Eduardo Ramirez 129; Justin Viloria 129.8, Angel Contreras 129.8; Brayan Gonzalez 120.8, James Mulder 121.6; Daniel Blancas 166, Aro Schwartz 165; Reina Tellez 124.2, Beata Dudek; Mia Ellis 128.6, Margaret Whitmore 127.2.
Weights from Manati, Puerto Rico, for the Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday (DAZN, 7:30 p.m. ET): Subriel Matias 140 pounds, Liam Paro 140 (for Matias’ IBF junior welterweight title); Yankiel Rivera 111.7, Victor Sandoval 112; Angel Fierro 140, Alfredo Santiago 140; Stephanie Pineiro 146.9, Diana Tapia 146.8; William Ortiz 140.1, Carlos Mitzael 138.6.
Weights from London for the Boxxer card Saturday (Peacock in U.S., 1:30 p.m. ET, Sky Sports in U.K.): Chris Billam-Smith 200 pounds, Richard Riakporhe 200 (rematch, for Billam-Smith’s WBO cruiserweight title); Ben Whittaker 175, Ezra Arenyeka 175; Isaac Chamberlain 200, Jack Massey 200; Dan Azeez 178, Hrvoje Sep 179; Francesca Hennessy 121, Dorota Norek 119; Mitchell Frearson 164, Marco Simmonds 156; Deevorn Miller 198, Edwin Mosquera 199.
The IBF purse bid for the bout between junior lightweight titlist Anthony Cacace and mandatory challenger Eduardo Nunez (26-1, 26 KOs), 26, of Mexico, which was postponed on Monday, now has a date: June 25, per a notification from the IBF to its registered promoters. It will take place at 12 p.m. ET at the IBF offices in Springfield, New Jersey, and via video conference. Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs), 35, a southpaw from Northern Ireland, won the title via major upset when he stopped Joe Cordina in the eighth round May 18 on the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Junior lightweight Justin Viloria (5-0, 3 KOs), 19, of Whittier, California, who is the nephew of former world champion and U.S. Olympian Brian Viloria, and Angel Contreras (15-8-2, 9 KOs), 30, of Mexico, will see their eight-rounder move up the Davis-Martin card to open the three-fight PBC on Prime Video free preliminary stream on Saturday (5:30 p.m. ET). The original opener of the prelim stream was slated to be a 10-round welterweight fight between Roiman Villa (26-2, 24 KOs) and Ricardo Salas (19-2-2, 14 KOs), but Villa withdrew Friday due to illness.
Eye of the Tiger announced Friday that it has signed two-time Olympian Dzmitry Asanau (7-0, 3 KOs), 28, who represented his home country of Belarus in the 2016 and 2020 Games, to a promotional deal. He turned pro in 2022 and had all of his fights in Germany but now will fight on EOTT cards in Quebec. “We are adding elite-level talent to a stable that already had a lot of depth,” EOTT president Camille Estephan said. “His track record in the amateur ranks speaks for itself. We anticipate great achievements for Dzmitry in the professional ranks, and we will do everything we can to help him accomplish his goals.”
Matchroom Boxing announced it has signed Robert Garcia-trained junior welterweight Leonardo Rubalcava (7-0, 3 KOs) and that he’ll fight on the Juan Francisco Estrada-Jesse Rodriguez card June 29 (DAZN) at Footprint Center in Phoenix. Rubalcava, 21, a four-time Mexican national champion, will face William Flenoy (3-3-1, 1 KO), 33, of Fresno, California, in a six-rounder. “Leonardo is a very talented and dedicated young man,” Garcia said. “Leo is one of the hardest workers in my gym, and he also works for his father, who owns a construction company. He shows up to the gym on his lunch break and spars some of the best fighters in boxing like Vergil Ortiz, Brandun Lee and Raymond Muratalla. Once sparring is done, he goes straight back to work. With the help of Eddie Hearn and Matchroom, I believe this young man will achieve a lot of great things in boxing.”
Show and tell
The official program for Saturday night’s Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin/David Benavidez-Oleksandr Gvozdyk event includes two trading cards. They can easily be separated by the perforation marks or left intact. One card is of WBA lightweight titlist Davis, who also has two other cards in the ongoing set. He is shown celebrating his KO victory over Ryan Garcia last year. The other card is the rookie of two-time WBC super middleweight titlist David Benavidez. These cards extend the SP Boxing program set to 84 as there have been cards inserted for years into most of the programs the company produces, including numerous rookies. I am proud to have assisted in putting the set together and have written all of the card backs.
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Photos: Davis-Martin: Esther Lin/PBC; Ellerbe/Mayweather: Getty; Billam-Smith-Riakporhe: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer; Matias-Paro: Amanda Westcott/Matchroom Boxing
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I thought Inoue was going up against Goodman next, has it been decided the WBA are next in the rotation? Inoue - MJ is a better fight for sure, it's just a shame the WBA didn't bring this energy to a Canelo - Morrell fight.