For many people it was The KO of 2020: Gervonta Davis KO6 Leo Santa Cruz. “Tank” Davis took Santa Cruz out with a smashing left uppercut to the jaw and the highlight reel knockout send shivers down many spines. Despite nearly being decapitated by Davis, Mexican warrior Santa Cruz says that not only is he very much interested in a return fight with Davis, but he was actually asking his team to try and make the rematch just a couple of weeks after being so brutally knocked out.
Santa Cruz, 38-2-1(19) and stopped only the one time as a pro, returned to action this past weekend when he won a ten round decision over Keenan Carbajal. Now, in speaking with The DAZN Boxing Show, the 33 year old former multi-weight world ruler said he would use different tactics in a return fight with Davis.
“Of course,” Santa Cruz said when asked if he would like to fight Davis a second time. “Right after the fight, a couple of weeks after, I told my team to give me the rematch against Gervonta Davis. I don’t know if they went and asked him, but he said no. [To beat him, I need to] work a little more on my power, get a little bigger. Throw my punches and then move. I made a mistake; I was trying to brawl with him. I stood there in the pocket and he caught me.”
“Tank” sure did catch Santa Cruz, and the instant the shot landed it was over. You have to admire Santa Cruz for even thinking about getting back in the ring with someone who did what Davis did to him. This, though, is the mindset of a great fighter; of a great ring warrior. A rematch here does seem unlikely but Santa Cruz has shown he still has the fire and the desire to fight the best. How much Santa Cruz has left at elite level we still don’t know but there could be some more big fights out there for Santa Cruz, surely one of the most likeable and admirable fighters around today.
A KO the kind Santa Cruz suffered on Halloween Night in 2020 could very easily have ended many a career. But not here. Never should we forget how brave fighters really are.