Mario Barrios has come to WBA lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis’ defense for his choice of Lamont Roach for his next fight on December 14. Barrios says Tank (30-0, 28 KOs) has “proven” himself enough during his 11-year career to “call the shots” to fight anyone he wants, just like Canelo Alvarez is doing now.
Two-division world champion Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs), who was knocked out by Tank Davis in the 11th round three years ago on June 26, 2021, feels that super featherweight Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) not a “bad fight,” and it’s a “really entertaining fight.”
Barrios is a PBC fighter, as is Tank Davis, so it’s unclear if he’s a team player with his favorable comments about his mismatch against Roach. Like Tank, Barrios is well maneuvered by his management, to be sent into two-division world titles without beating anyone of note during his 11-year professional career.
Barrios was recently elevated outside the ring by the World Boxing Council to WBC welterweight champion. In other words, Barrios is what fans a’email champion.’ He won his WBC 147 lb interim title against Yordenis Ugas on September 30, 2023.
This was after Ugas was softened up by Errol Spence and lost to him by a tenth round knockout on April 16, 2022, in a grueling fight that saw the Cuban fighter take a lot of punishment.
Barrios will defend his WBC welterweight title against #8 Abel Ramos (28-6-2, 22 KOs) on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul on November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Ramos has a 1-2 record in his last three fights. This is an example of Barrios being well run by its management. Why is Barrios facing a fighter with that kind of record for a title defense of his WBC welterweight belt?
“I know Tank is saying, ‘F*** boxing fans,'” Mario Barrios told the media on Gervonta Davis’ attitude to the backlash he’s getting from people over choosing super featherweight Lamont Roach to defend his WBA lightweight title on December 14 in Houston.
What Barrios doesn’t say is that by Tank constantly taking easier fights against opposition that fans don’t want to see, he’s hindering his popularity and not making the kind of money he could if he were fighting better competition. Being protected results in a fighter never reaching true superstar status. As a result, Tank is only known to hardcore boxing fans and not a household name in the US
“Everyone is always so opinionated. Boxing fans are so hard to please. It doesn’t matter who you fight,” said Barrios, who is making an easy defense of his WBC 147-lb belt against Abel Ramos, a fighter who has lost two of his last three fights.
Barrios was maneuvered the same way as Tank, so it’s understandable why he wouldn’t want to criticize him for taking on soft opposition. Mario’s last fight was against the unknown Fabio Maidana, the brother of former world champion Marcos Maidana, but who had never beaten anyone to gain attention.
Why is Barrios fighting with someone like that? It’s pretty obvious why. The same reason why Barrios defends against Ramos, a fighter with a 1-2 record in his last three fights. If Barrios was matched up against quality fighters like Jaron Ennis and Brian Norman Jr, he wouldn’t be a world champion.
“All that matters is that Tank does his thing. He has proven more than enough. It comes like Canelo at that point. He can call any shots he wants. He can move in whatever direction he wants to move. I don’t think it’s a bad fight,” Barrios said of Tank picking Roach out of the 130-lb division. “It’s a very entertaining fight.”
