By Sean Crose
As Terence Crawford gears up for a possible blockbuster showdown with the iconic Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta “Tank” Davis has weighed in with his candid thoughts. Speaking to reporters before his Saturday bout against Lamont Roach at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Davis didn’t hold back. “Crawford needs the money,” he commented straight up, as reported by ES News. It’s no secret that Crawford and Davis haven’t exactly been the best of friends for some time, but Davis’s remarks went beyond mere money-making jabs.
“He got clipped by Gamboa,” Davis continued, questioning, “How the heck is he looking this strong all these years?” For seasoned boxing enthusiasts, this wasn’t just idle talk—Davis was hinting at the controversial topic of performance-enhancing drugs. “He didn’t get clipped or nothin’,” Davis remarked, pointing his finger at “that SNAC shit.” For those out of the loop, SNAC, helmed by nutritionist Victor Conte, has gained popularity among high-profile fighters for its conditioning tools. Conte, once embroiled in a scandal for distributing banned substances and money laundering, claims he’s reformed and now plays by the rules.
Despite Conte’s insistence that he’s now all about clean sportsmanship, Davis seems skeptical. Still, fighters like Crawford, Claressa Shields, and Shawn Porter have partnered with Conte, and none have failed drug tests. It’s possible that Davis is employing psychological warfare here—a classic tactic to stir the pot and ramp up buzz before his own pay-per-view headliner in Brooklyn.
While Roach is indeed a seasoned pro in his own right, he’s not widely expected to dethrone the electrifying Davis. Known for his explosive punching power, blistering speed, and enviable agility, Davis is likely to put on a show worth the near-eighty-dollar pay-per-view price tag. No wonder he might be making bold statements to capture attention ahead of time.
Despite their mutual disdain—or maybe because of it—one cannot deny the prowess of Davis and Crawford in the boxing world. Now competing at super middleweight, Crawford’s size could forever keep him out of a matchup with the lightweight Davis. This might explain why their battle has shifted to the media spotlight rather than the boxing ring.
