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🥊 The Wait Is (Almost) Over
The Fight Team
April 21, 2023
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Fight With Teddy Atlas Newsletter, your one stop shop for all things combat sports related, brought to you by Teddy and The Fight team.
Every Friday We Bring You:
A combat sports news digest with all the headlines you need to know from Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts.
Highlights from the podcast and across the fight world.
Fight times and information you need to know ahead of time.
How to’s and tips for Boxing from Teddy himself.
Fight News From Around The 🌍
The Day Of Reckoning
It's finally here.
Gervonta "Tank" Davis will take on "King" Ryan Garcia in a catchweight showdown tomorrow night in an event that will be sure to shatter previous PPV records for both men and show just what can happen when boxing gets it's act together and pits the best against the best.
After what seems to have been an eternity of negotiations over broadcasters, rehydration clauses and the like, the two men will finally meet in the ring to settle their long held grudge.
Ryan Garcia is still raw, but his recent performances have shown he's developing into a more well rounded fighter. He's been calling for the fight for a long time, arguably before he was considered "ready" for the step up in competition, such is his belief in victory against Tank. He's not only sure that he's seen something in the Baltimore native that he can exploit, but he's confident it won't be a long day at the
Of course, 28 men before him may have had similar thoughts, but they all failed to defeat the young pound for pound star, with only 2 of those fighters even hearing the final bell.
Tank is definitely the more polished of the two 20 something boxers, but he is also far from the finished article, as is Garcia. That adds an extra element of intrigue to this match up, as we're getting two young, talented and hungry fighters that are still developing.
The edge may have to go to the more seasoned Davis, but we can't discount that Ryan Garcia has a significant size and perhaps even power advantage over his rival.
He's come leaps and bounds since his breakout performance against Luke Campbell, so it'll be fascinating to see just how much he has improved and if it's been enough to beat someone like Tank.
Boxing doesn't often get it right when it comes to matching young, exciting fighters together at the right time, but when it does, it cooks up something special.
Both men have power, are confident in victory and have come to talk some trash.
Let's hope it all adds up to a fantastic event for the fans.
What to look for in the fight:
Element of surprise. Ryan will be wise to not just use his size and reach to keep Tank off balance, but throw in his extremely sharp left hook when Davis will be expected a stiff jab coming his way. His habit of parrying jabs may lead him directly into a fight changing left hook.
Going back. Ryan has a habit of keeping his head in the centre line when countering with the check hook. Against Javier Fortuna (a southpaw like Davis) he managed to avoid danger from his attacks down his centre. Tank counter left hand, whether straight or slightly hooked, likely won't be as forgiving.
If you want more insights into the big fight, check out the Fight Plan that Teddy and Ken did over at the Trinity Boxing Club in New York City.
Heavyweights Rumble In UFC
It's a clash of two top contenders amongst the UFC heavyweights, as Sergei Pavlovich takes on Curtis "Razor" Blaydes in a Fight Night 5 round main event.
The hard hitting Pavlovich is being touted as the next big threat in the heavyweight division, with five straight wins, all via first-round knockout. However, three of his opponents are no longer with the UFC, and he does have a loss on his record to former top contender Alistair Overeem. Even his recent win against Derrick Lewis wasn't without controversy.
It would be harsh to say in need of a statement win against a true top contender, but there's a feeling that a win over someone like Blaydes is the last stamp he needs to guarantee a shot at the recently crowded king Jon Jones.
Curtis Blaydes, now that the heavyweight crown isn't held by the man who seems to be his human kryptonite in Francis Ngannou, will be looking to seize his moment and build his case for a shot at Jones. A win over a dangerous puncher like Pavlovich could be just that, and Razor Blaydes has all the ingredients to make it happen.
In a real 50/50 match up, what's certain is that Saturday night's victor will be in a great position to claim the spot of #1 contender amongst the big boys and challenge themselves against the current pound for pound king of the sport.
What to look for in the fight:
Geography. Blaydes holds heavyweight division records in Top Position Time, Control Time, and Takedowns Landed, so it's no secret that his go-to strategy is wrestling dominance. If he can avoid the big right hands of Pavlovich, there's not much stopping him from controlling the fight on the mat and even securing a TKO finish from top position.
Confidence. With recent first round KOs against the likes of Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa, Pavlovich will have sky high confidence in his ability to hurt his fellow heavyweights. Look for him to be especially aggressive in the first two rounds, and if he feels he's hurt Blaydes, to go in for the kill.
Hear From Ryan Himself
Teddy and Ken had the pleasure of Ryan's company after his breakout performance against Luke Campbell. They discussed the aftermath of the win, his team and even spoke about the fight going down tomorrow...
Check out the full episode by clicking below.
Fight ⏰ for this weekend
Boxing: Davis vs Garcia (Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific | Main Event: 11pm Eastern/ 8pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 2am | Main Event: 4am
🇦🇺 Full Card: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western | Main event: 1pm Eastern/ 11am Western
MMA: Pavlovich vs Blaydes (Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd)
🇺🇸 Full Card: 7pm Eastern/ 4pm Pacific | Main Event: 9pm Eastern/ 6pm Pacific
🇬🇧 Full Card: 12am | Main Event: 2am
🇦🇺 Full Card: 9am Eastern/ 7am Western | Main event: 11am Eastern/ 9am Western