Gervonta Davis’ trainer responds to retirement rumour with four-word message

Gervonta “Tank” Davis’s trainer, Kenny Ellis, has dispelled the rumours that his fighter is retiring from boxing.

The social media rumour mill had begun spinning that Davis was telling those close to him that he was done with boxing and getting ready to hang up his gloves.

But Ellis was quick to respond to these rumours, writing on X/Twitter: “Per usual FAKE news.”

This could potentially push back his scheduled rematch with Lamont Roach, which was set for 16 August.

Their rematch was initially scheduled to take place on 21 June in Las Vegas, but it was delayed by Premier Boxing Champions.

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In their initial encounter, the underdog, Roach, held Davis to a majority decision draw, which many felt that the champion was lucky to get and retain his WBA lightweight title.

The American power-puncher’s uncharacteristically lacklustre performance helped stoke rumours of his disenfranchisement.

Roach was denied a knockdown in the ninth round when a jab sent Davis onto one knee. The referee initially started the count but stopped it when he learned it was due to an unknown substance had got into Davis’s eye.

Roach and his team lodged an appeal with the New York State Athletic Commission after the fight.

The result was upheld due to the decision not to call a knockdown was not “outcome-determinative”, but NYSAC did say that the referee did make the wrong call.

They said: "The bout continued for more than three full rounds after the referee's no knockdown call, and because the boxers necessarily adjusted to the referee's ruling, the referee's call was not outcome-determinative.

"Following an extensive after-the-fact review of the footage of the ninth round, that the most appropriate call ... would have been for the referee to determine that Mr. Davis' knee contacting the canvas constituted a knockdown.”

Davis has since been linked with fights against bigger names like Jake Paul and Manny Pacquiao. But if Davis wishes to have these big-money fights and does not want to retire, he must first honour his contractually obligated rematch with Roach.

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