Gervonta Davis says his desire to begin therapy and look after his children are the main factors in persuading him to retire from boxing.
Davis made a shock admission during Tuesday’s press conference to announce his March 1 clash with Lamont Roach, that he plans to call time on his career at the end of 2025.
The 30-year-old, a three-weight world champion and one of the biggest draws in the sport, doubled down on those comments in an interview after the press conference, insisting he’ll be walking away for personal reasons.
“That’s why I don’t want [to] box no more,” Davis told Inside Boxing Live.
“I want to do therapy, but I feel as though if I do therapy, it will lose the fire that I have inside me.
“I want everything out of me, whereas though I’ll never think about fighting again.
“I don’t think about even getting angry, because I have two girls, two daughters.
“[I’m] wanting to be much softer, be more humble and things like that.”
‘Tank’ puts his WBA lightweight world title on the line when he faces reigning WBA super featherweight world champion, Roach at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The pair were supposed to fight on December 14 at the Toyota Center in Houston, but the bout was moved to March 1 and the venue changed, due to NBA team Houston Rockets having a game on March 1 in that arena.
🇺🇸 Shakur Stevenson
🇺🇸 Devin Haney
🇺🇸 Teofimo Lopez
🇺🇦 Vasiliy LomachenkoFights we still need to see before Tank retires…
— Pro Boxing Fans (@ProBoxingFans) December 3, 2024
Roach heads into the clash as a +800 underdog and should he pull off a stunning upset, the WBA will grant him five days to decide whether to remain at lightweight and relinquish his super featherweight title or return to 130lbs.
Davis beat ‘The Reaper’ in an amateur contest in 2011 and the Baltimore man, who has 28 knockouts from 30 wins, admits he is looking to see whether his rival can stand up to his power.
“Lamont’s got skills,” he said during the press conference.
“Even at a smaller weight class.
“He’s one of the guys who I came up with in the sport of boxing, and he’s still doing well.
“He’s definitely a top opponent and everyone will see that on March 1.
“We’ll have to test his chin come March 1.
“He might think my opponents don’t have chins, but we’ll definitely test it.
“I say leave the kids at home.”
