The WBC welterweight champion is calling out Davis 3 years after a stoppage loss in Las Vegas

Three years to the day after one of boxing’s most commercially successful bouts ended in a painful stoppage, Ryan Garcia has made it clear that the loss to Gervonta Davis is the one result in his career he simply cannot move on from. The 27-year-old WBC welterweight champion used the anniversary of his 2023 defeat to issue a public rematch challenge on social media, reigniting one of the sport’s most compelling and unresolved rivalries at a moment when Garcia’s career has arguably never looked better — and Davis’s future has rarely been more uncertain.

The night that started it all

Garcia and Davis met on April 22, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in what became one of the most-watched boxing events of that year, drawing 1.2 million pay-per-view buys in the United States — a benchmark that has not been matched in the years since. Davis won the bout by a seventh-round stoppage, landing a devastating liver shot that sent Garcia to a knee and ultimately ended the fight. The result handed Garcia his first professional loss and left a lasting mark on a fighter who had been widely considered one of the sport’s most gifted and marketable young stars.

The terms Garcia says cost him

Garcia has consistently pointed to the contractual structure of the 2023 bout as a key factor in the outcome, and his rematch call is inseparable from those grievances. The fight was contested at a 136-pound catchweight, and a 10-pound rehydration clause meant that both men were barred from exceeding 146 pounds on the morning of the contest. For Garcia, who naturally carries more weight and physical size, those restrictions had a tangible impact on his strength and durability heading into fight night. He has argued repeatedly that he entered the ring physically compromised, and his rematch call centers entirely on fighting Davis at a natural weight — either 140 or 147 pounds — with no rehydration clauses attached.

Garcia’s turbulent road back

The path between that Las Vegas defeat and Garcia’s current position as WBC welterweight champion has been anything but smooth. A 2024 fight against Devin Haney ended in controversy when Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance, resulting in a one-year suspension, a $10,000 fine and the bout being ruled a no-contest. He also suffered a loss to Rolando Romero during that difficult stretch. Following his reinstatement in April 2025, Garcia returned to the ring with renewed focus, stopping Oscar Duarte before delivering a commanding performance against Mario Barrios in February 2026 to capture the WBC welterweight title. The victory represented a significant moment of redemption and gave Garcia the platform from which he is now calling out Davis.

Davis on the sidelines

While Garcia has been rebuilding and climbing back to the top, Davis has been defined largely by his absence from the ring. The Baltimore native has not fought since battling to a majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. in March 2025, and in January 2026, the WBA officially moved him to its champion in recess designation — a reflection of his prolonged inactivity. His time away from boxing has been shaped in large part by legal difficulties in Florida, where he has faced serious charges including battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping. His long-time trainer, Calvin Ford, has publicly maintained that Davis intends to return to competition in 2026, and Davis himself recently hinted at an imminent comeback on social media. Whether that return would come against Garcia, and at what weight class, remains entirely open.

A blockbuster waiting to happen

The business case for a rematch is difficult to argue against. No boxing event has replicated the commercial success of the 2023 bout, and there is every reason to believe a second meeting would generate similar or greater interest. Garcia now holds a legitimate world title and carries a far more compelling narrative heading in, while Davis remains one of the sport’s biggest names despite his inactivity. Golden Boy Promotions is currently handling Garcia’s next steps, and the boxing world is watching closely to see whether Davis will ultimately accept the challenge and move up to welterweight to answer it.

The future of Gervonta Davis is currently up in the air but that hasn’t stopped one reigning world champion from calling out ‘Tank’ for a showdown.

It’s been over a year since Davis was last in action, with that coming in March 2025 against Lamont Roach Jr. That bout ended in a controversial majority decision draw, but nonetheless saw ‘Tank’ hold on to his WBA lightweight title.

Things have been extremely difficult for the Baltimore man since then though, first seeing a planned exhibition in November with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul cancelled after Davis was at the centre of domestic abuse allegations.

Further allegations led to ‘Tank’ losing his WBA belt and being named as champion in recess, but there were reports earlier this year that he could be set to return against former foe and reigning WBC interim super-lightweight champion Isaac Cruz.

It is another former Davis foe who is now calling for a rematch, after Ryan Garcia posted on social media his intention to secure a second fight.

Garcia suffered a seventh round stoppage loss to Davis when they met in April 2023, but ‘King Ry’ has claimed repeatedly since the contest that he was far from his best due to it being a 136lb catchweight bout with a 10lb rehydration clause.

In February, Garcia defeated Mario Barrios to win the WBC welterweight title, and if Davis chooses to campaign at 147lbs, the prospect of earning world honours in another division could possibly tempt him into a rematch with ‘King Ry.’

Three-division world champion Gervonta Davis continues to be linked to a comeback, but a petition for him to face his number one contender may scupper his proposed fight plans, or remove him from his favourable position in the lightweight division.

Davis has not won a fight since he knocked out Frank Martin almost two years ago, drawing with Lamont Roach Jr in his solitary outing since, in what was the first blemish of his now 30-0-1 professional record.

Earlier this year, after being issued with an arrest warrant for a domestic violence charge, the WBA named ‘Tank’ ‘champion-in-recess’, meaning that he would be given the opportunity to regain his belt upon return.

However, reports have emerged of a potential super-lightweight rematch against Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, one of just two men that Davis has defeated but not knocked out.

In response, the WBA’s number one lightweight contender, Floyd ‘Kid Austin’ Schofield has entered a petition with the sanctioning body, lobbying for either a mandated fight with Davis or the opportunity to fight for the vacant title.

In a clip posted by FightHype, the Texan’s trainer and father, Floyd Schofield Sr, explained the situation in further detail.

Should Davis-Cruz II go ahead, it is expected to take place this summer, with coach Calvin Ford recently confirming that ‘Tank’ is back in training ahead of his return to boxing.