Junior lightweight world titlist Gervonta “Tank” Davis didn’t get to add the big name to his record that he had hoped to, but he nonetheless took care of business and did so in violent fashion in the first round against late replacement Hugo Ruiz on Saturday night at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Davis, a Floyd Mayweather protégé, was supposed to make the first defense of his second 130-pound title reign against popular three-division world titlist Abner Mares on his turf in Southern California, but Mares withdrew from the fight last week after suffering a detached retina in his right eye during a sparring session followed by surgery.
Ruiz, a former junior featherweight world titleholder, who had just won a lopsided decision in a featherweight bout on Jan. 19 on the Manny Pacquiao-Adrien Broner undercard, quickly accepted an offer to fill in and moved up another weight division with the promise to give Davis a serious fight in the Showtime-televised main event.
He didn’t come close to doing so as Davis, a fast southpaw with explosive power, walked to the ring to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and then walked through Ruiz with ease before a crowd of 8,048.
Although the 5-foot-9 Ruiz held a 3½-inch height advantage over Davis, he was no match for Davis’ speed and power.
Davis (21-0, 20 KOs), 24, of Baltimore, took it to him and late in the opening round drove him to the corner with a straight left hand. He followed up with a three-punch combination — right, left and a right hook that slammed into Ruiz’s face. He took a step back and dropped to a knee.
Ruiz (39-5, 33 KOs), 32, of Mexico, with blood streaming from his nose, rose at the count of eight but referee Jack Reiss, after taking a good look at him, waved the fight off at 2 minutes, 59 seconds.