18 January 2023 , 18:06
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Mike Tyson has backed rising star Gervonta Davis to become a "legend" of the sport in the future.
Tyson has now retired from the ring leaving a legacy in which he is considered one of the greatest of all-time in the sports history, where he reigned as undisputed heavyweight champion. The boxing legend continues to train in the sport but has not competed since putting on an entertaining exhibition with fellow veteran Roy Jones Jr in 2020.
Despite now staying outside of the ropes, Tyson remains one of the most respected figures in the sport and regularly talks about some of the brightest stars inside the ring. And 'Iron' believes that Floyd Mayweather's former protege Davis has what it takes to reach the very top.
“Tank is a great fighter,” Tyson said in an interview with TMZ when discussing who is currently on the brink of stardom in the sport. "He’ll be a legend too if he keeps fighting. He's probably the best fighter out there right now."
Davis recently defeated Hector Luis Garcia with another trademark stoppage to continue his rise and extend his undefeated record to 28 victories. It is expected that Davis' win will set up a huge mega-fight with lightweight rival Ryan Garcia, with the pair having announced that a deal has been agreed to meet in the ring in April.
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The fight has regularly been cast into doubt despite the pair expressing openness to settle the scores regularly on social media. Yesterday Garcia's promoter Oscar De La Hoya had imposed a deadline for a contract to arrive for the showdown or threatened to move the American star on to alternative options.
Mike Tyson is a fan of rising star Gervonta Davis (Getty Images)Do you think Gervonta Davis will beat Ryan Garcia? Let us know in the comments section below
However today De La Hoya posted a hugely positive update with the pair posing with the fight contract. He tweeted after receiving the document, writing: “Finally received the contract, time to put finishing touches and we have a fight April 15. Let’s go!”
Davis is highly rated by many inside the sport who are backing him, but he believes that he is being shut down by critics and is ready to lest his performances do the talking in 2023. “It's definitely overlooked, for sure. I feel as though I'm probably the most hated fighter, I think so," he said. “I’m just ready to shut everyone up.
"All the talking that’s going around, I just want to go in the ring and shut them all up. I’ve always been the guy who stays focused and knows that whoever is in front of me is a threat. This is just me trying to get over that hump. I don’t think of it as a dream come true. I’m not where I want to be yet. This fight is the next step.”