Mario Barrios got here to WBA light-weight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis’ protection for his number of Lamont Roach for his subsequent battle on December 14th. Barrios says Tank (30-0, 28 KOs) has “proved” himself sufficient throughout his 11-year profession to “name the pictures” to battle anybody he desires, similar to Canelo Alvarez is doing now.
The 2-division world champion Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs), who has knocked out within the eleventh spherical by Tank Davis three years in the past on June twenty sixth, 2021, feels that the tremendous featherweight Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) isn’t a “Dangerous battle”, and it’s a “actually entertaining battle.”
Barrios is a PBC fighter, similar to Tank Davis, so it’s unclear if he’s being a group participant together with his favorable feedback about his mismatch towards Roach. Like Tank, Barrios has been well-maneuvered by his administration, being steered into two-division world titles with out beating anybody of observe throughout his 11-year professional profession.
Barrios was elevated to WBC welterweight champion lately exterior of the ring by the World Boxing Council. In different phrases, Barrios is what followers name an ‘electronic mail champion.’ He received his WBC interim 147-lb title towards Yordenis Ugas on September 30, 2023.
That was after Ugas had been softened up by Errol Spence, dropping to him by a tenth-round knockout on April sixteenth, 2022, in a grueling battle that concerned the Cuban fighter sustaining a number of punishment.
Barrios will likely be defending his WBC welterweight title towards #8 Abel Ramos (28-6-2, 22 KOs) on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul on November fifteenth at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Ramos has a 1-2 document in his final three fights. That is an instance of Barrios being well-managed by his administration. Why is Barrios dealing with a fighter with that type of a document for a title protection of his WBC welterweight belt?
“I do know Tank goes, ‘F*** boxing followers,’” mentioned Mario Barrios to the media about Gervonta Davis’ mindset towards the backlash he’s getting from folks over him selecting tremendous featherweight Lamont Roach to defend his WBA light-weight title on December 14th in Houston.
What Barrios isn’t saying is that by Tank regularly taking simpler fights towards opposition that followers don’t need to see, he’s stunting his reputation and never making the type of cash he may very well be getting if he fought higher competitors. Being protected ends in a fighter by no means attaining true celebrity standing. Therefore, Tank is barely well-known amongst hardcore boxing followers and never a family identify within the U.S.
“Everyone seems to be all the time so opinionated. Boxing followers are so onerous to please. It doesn’t matter who you battle,” mentioned Barrios, who’s making a simple protection of his WBC 147-lb belt towards Abel Ramos, a fighter who has misplaced two out of his final three fights.”
Barrios has been maneuvered the identical manner that Tank has, so it’s comprehensible why he wouldn’t need to criticize him for taking over delicate opposition. Mario’s final battle was towards little-known Fabio Maidana, the brother of former world champion Marcos Maidana, however who had by no means crushed anybody to realize consideration.
Why is Barrios combating somebody like that? It’s fairly apparent why. The identical motive Barrios is defending towards Ramos, a fighter with a 1-2 document in his final three fights. If Barrios have been matched towards high quality fighters like Jaron Ennis and Brian Norman Jr, he wouldn’t be a world champion.
“All that issues is Tank is doing his factor. He’s proved greater than sufficient. It’s type of attending to that stage like Canelo. He can name no matter pictures he desires. He can transfer in no matter course he desires to maneuver in. I don’t assume that’s a nasty battle,” Barrios mentioned about Tank selecting Roach from the 130-lb division. “It’s a very entertaining battle.”
