Gervonta Davis is popular because he’s always looking to ‘knock your f—— head off,’ Leonard Ellerbe says

• Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios compete in one of the summer's biggest fights on June 26.
• Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who reps Davis, broke down the fight for Insider.
• He told us it will take place in Atlanta in front of a sold-out crowd.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

America's thunderous puncher Gervonta "Tank" Davis returns to the ring June 26, and promoter Leonard Ellerbe told Insider that his fighter is growing in popularity because he's constantly looking to decapitate his opponents.

"When 'Tank' steps in that ring, he's looking to knock your f—— head off," Ellerbe said in his first media interview since premium US broadcaster Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced their summer schedule.

The nine-event run begins May 15, finishes September 11, and features multiple world title bouts and big-name fighters, including an undisputed super welterweight championship match between Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano.

Its sole pay-per-view offering is a super lightweight fight that pits Ellerbe's marquee athlete Davis against the unbeaten 140-pound competitor Mario Barrios.

"'Tank' is one of the biggest attractions in the sport, and this will be another step-up," Ellerbe told Insider on Monday. "He's moving up two weight classes to take on a young, undefeated champion in Mario Barrios – it's a tough fight."

Davis is listed on Boxrec, the sport's record-keeper, as a 5-foot-5 fighter with a 67-inch reach. Barrios, in contrast, is 5-feet-10 with a 71-inch reach.

"He's more 6-foot … 6-foot-1," Ellerbe said of the height difference. "And so there are some tremendous challenges in that fight.

"He's going to have to have a great game plan to overcome that, but I'm confident that he'll be able do it.

"Nothing is going to be easy," said Ellerbe. "A guy like Barrios is, you know, a very young fighter with the opportunity of a lifetime, in a big event, with one of the biggest stars in the sport. And he'll be looking to knock Tank [out].

"He's a solid fighter, very confident, and he's one of those quiet assassins. He doesn't do a whole lot of talking. He does his talking in the ring. He's a very good young fighter and somebody I've got a great deal of respect for.

"I'm sure Virgil Hunter, who is one of the sport's best trainers, will have a great game plan for him. He's a terrific teacher, and Barrios is a great student of his. It's a tough fight."

Tank's grit and skillset could offset Barrios' height and reach, according to Ellerbe

Ellerbe told us that Davis could offset the physical differences with his "grit and his skillset."

The 26-year-old has been likened to a mini Mike Tyson before and, like the former heavyweight champion, many seem to assume Davis is a heavy-hitter and a heavy-hitter alone.

During a virtual press conference last year, Floyd Mayweather told reporters: "A lot of people don't know that his boxing skill is really better than his power."

As Davis, who is unbeaten as a pro, has iced 23 of his 24 opponents to date, it begs the question whether fans might see that boxing prowess, as opposed to the power, this summer.

"I think whatever his game plan is for the fight, I'm sure it will be one where he has to get inside of Mario Barrios," Ellerbe told us. "And that is not going to be an easy task. But I'm confident he'll figure it out as he gets there.

"This is a fight he definitely wanted," Ellerbe added. "He sees something in the fight he likes, and I think it'll be another big event."

The only other confirmed bout for the event is a super welterweight contest involving Jeison Rosario and Erickson Lubin, who Ellerbe described as "a dog and a beast on a mission."

He said: "He'll be looking to make another big statement in the 154 weight class, which is right now if not the top weight class in the sport, definitely top three. That's for damn sure."

Another thing that's for damn sure is the inclusion of an array of other Mayweather Promotions talents.

Ellerbe told Insider last month about five young Americans he and Floyd Mayweather signed, to help carry the company and the sport forward in the years to come.

There's David Lopez, Jalil Hackett, Dorian Khan Jr., Adrian Benton, and Micky Scala.

So would one or more of these top young pros feature June 26?

"Most definitely," Ellerbe said.

"I don't know what else we're going to put on the card, but it will be loaded with nothing but entertaining fighters."

June 26 sees Mayweather Promotions return to "Black Hollywood"

Davis is one of boxing's bona fide ticket sellers, and generated up to 250,000 pay-per-view sales for his first and only box office fight to date - a brutal but brilliant knockout win over Leo Santa Cruz.

For perspective, Mayweather's debut as a pay-per-view headliner, against Arturo Gatti in 2005, generated 340,000 sales on American TV. When he fought his last bout against Conor McGregor 12 years later, he scored 4.3 million buys.

Ellerbe, Mayweather Promotions, and Showtime understand the young gun's growing fanbase better than anyone, and handed Davis the summer's pay-per-view spot without hesitation.

"Tank is a pay-per-view fighter and there's no turning back," Ellerbe said of his fighter's second box office bout. "He's continuing to get better and better each fight, and built himself into an attraction.

"Any time 14,000 or 15,000 people come out and see you perform, every time you go out, you're definitely giving the fans what they want to see. And that's nothing but excitement."

Ellerbe added that his June 26 event is heading to Atlanta, though he is yet to announce the venue. What is for certain is that there will be a fans in attendance, it will be a big event, and, according to Ellerbe, it will be a sold out show.

"Atlanta is called Black Hollywood and it's called Black Hollywood for a reason," he said in a nod to the city's status as as a hub for Black business, political leadership, and entertainment.

In 2011, The New York Times called Atlanta a "center of Black culture."

Tyler Perry - one of the highest-paid men in entertainment - opened Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre film production studio in 2019. The city is also home to a thriving hip hop scene with 21 Savage, Gnarls Barkley, T.I., Gucci Mane, and Outkast all exponents of Georgia rap.

Thanks to Mayweather Promotions, Atlanta hosted in 2019 its first world title fight in two decades when Davis finished Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 12th round in front of a raucous crowd at the State Farm Arena.

That crowd returns for its second title fight in as many years when Mayweather Promotions showcases Davis once again.

"If they think that December was a big event, then wait till they see what happens on June 26," Ellerbe told us. "As soon as I put these tickets up for sale, it'll be a sell-out.

"Tank has a home down there. That's definitely his home away from home. The fans have embraced him - it's a cultural thing.

"He goes out there and gives the fans what they want to see. That's why they support him. He's the most exciting fighter in the sport because he don't play … he'll knock your f------ head off."