Gervonta Davis’ next opponent in doubt after talks with Loma break off

Ever since Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ eighth-round knockout win over Frank Martin in June, rumors have swirled that the WBA lightweight champion would next face IBF champion Vasyl Lomachenko in a unification bout.

Unfortunately for boxing fans, talks between Davis and Lomachenko have broken down, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.

According to Coppinger, Lomachenko has decided to take the rest of the year off and not fight again in 2024.

Long time boxing writer Steve Kim spoke to Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, for more context and details.

According to Kim, Klimas said, “Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation right now. He’s going to leave. He wants to spend more time with his family. He doesn’t want to do anything until the end of the year. So he’s definitely not going to be in the ring until the end of the year.”

According to Klimas, there are other factors besides money for Lomachenko. He has to be motivated; if he is not, he will not fight. He did make it clear that Lomachenko is not retired yet, which is a logical question considering his age (36) and the current situation.

If you’ve been following Lomachenko lately, as has Raging Babe, another well-known boxing journalist, this won’t come as a surprise.

She posted this on X, referring to Lomachenko’s potential struggle to get motivated to fight more after his triumphant win over George Kambosos Jr. in May.

Lomachenko had a legendary amateur and professional career. He will go down in history as one of the best fighters of his time, even if he never boxes again.

When that’s the case with a fighter, and there are questions about motivation, it’s natural for fans and others to wonder if we’re at the end. As for Davis, he has plenty of options.

A fight with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson would be huge. The two men have traded criticism on social media for more than a year. Stevenson is a free agent after his contract with Top Rank expired following his victory over Artem Harutyunyan in July.

Stevenson took to X with the following cryptic post after news of Lomachenko’s withdrawal spread on social media. The post is a lyric from Eminem’s iconic track “Lose Yourself.”

Was this a message to Davis or a signal of his next move? We’ll likely find out soon, as Stevenson is expected to return to action before the end of the year. Davis could also try to fight WBO champion Denys Berinchyk.

The undefeated 36-year-old Ukrainian is coming off a surprise win over Emanuel Navarrete in May. Tank could also fight Isaac Cruz or Teofimo Lopez in the 140-pound class.

As Davis’ camp rolls around, we’ll likely hear about potential replacements for Lomachenko. While the Ukrainian legend rests for the rest of the year, we may get some indication of his plans for 2025.