ATL is ready to rumble: Davis and Gamboa bring boxing back to ATL

Atlanta native son (born in Alabama, raised in Georgia) Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield fought Vaughn Bean, on September 19, 1998 at the (now demolished) Georgia Dome.

The matchup is known as “The Power and the Glory.” The fight’s most memorable moment came in the tenth round.

Holyfield sidestepped Bean and sent him falling into the ropes. With Bean’s balance being unsteady Holyfield grabbed the opportunity to deliver a right uppercut that knocked Bean to the floor. Bean bounced back up at the count of 7 and survive the round. After two more rounds, all three judges voted two scores of 117–110 and one score of 116–111. Holyfield became the WBA/IBF Heavyweight Champion.

https://youtu.be/OkdGtqlYvW0

Fast forward to 21 years later. Atlanta will have another boxing match on December 28th, with a tripleheader at State Farm Arena.

SHOWTIME live telecast will open the action with a 10-round battle between Former super middleweight world titlist Jose Uzcategui and Lionell Thompson.

In the co-feature, WBA world light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal will take on Badou Jack.

The most anticipated fight will be 25-year-old, former two-time super featherweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ who will take on former unified World Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the vacant WBA Lightweight Title.

https://twitter.com/gervontaa/status/1195579740314382336?s=21

This will be Davis’ third fight of 2019.  In February Davis knocked out Hugo Ruiz in 1 round.

In July in front of a crowd of 15,000 in Davis hometown of Baltimore, he stop Ricardo Nunez in the 2nd round.

Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) knockout-to-win ratio stands at 95.5%.

37 year old Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs) has boxed 193 rounds since turning pro and current knockout ratio of 55 per cent.

This will be the first time Davis will enter into the lightweight division.  Gamboa has won 4 fights in a row since losing to Robinson Castellanos in 2017.

Stay tune for further coverage.