Turki Alalshikh is keen on organizing an explosive matchup between Naoya Inoue and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, contingent upon finding a weight class both fighters can agree on. Persuading ‘Monster’ Inoue to face Tank Davis will require considerable effort from Alalshikh. As a major star in Japan, Inoue has been earning significant money fighting lesser-known opponents. Accepting a bout with someone capable of knocking him out poses a huge career risk. So far, the most prominent name on Inoue’s record is 40-year-old Nonito Donaire, showing that he has yet to face a prime, elite opponent.
‼️ His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has named Gervonta Davis vs Naoya Inoue on his list of dream fights that he wants to make: “If they reach the right weight and give us the right proposal, we can deliver it.” [@MMAFighting] pic.twitter.com/qCNZIDPLsg
Weight Challenges and Career Risks Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) cannot drop to 126 or 122 pounds to fight the Japanese star without severely depleting himself and compromising his performance. Gervonta isn’t willing to jeopardize his health by cutting excessive weight just to secure the fight. Meanwhile, Inoue has been dominating the lower weight classes with relative ease. Facing Tank Davis would be his first encounter with a truly dangerous opponent. Although Inoue is dominant at 122 pounds, moving up to 135 to fight Tank would introduce him to a new level of competition and risk. It is believed that Inoue walks around at mid-140s, indicating he has the physical capacity to compete at a higher weight. However, Inoue, a four-division world champion with a record of 27-0 (24 KOs), currently fights at super bantamweight (122 pounds) and would need to move up to at least 130, if not 135, to meet the lightweight champion Tank Davis.
