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Battle Of The Unbeatens: Gervonta Davis Versus Rolando Romero
Gervonta Davis called Rolando Romero “a dumba** fighter” during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Romero countered by mocking Davis’ “big head for me to hit,” saying “He’s scared of me” and vowing “to hit him with one punch, and we’re going to be done.”
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) enters his fourth straight pay-per-view event on Saturday against Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) with a 96-percent knockout ratio that ranks second among world champions to that of IBF/WBC 175-pound titleholder Artur Beterbiev (17–0, 17 KOs).
Considered the best fighter at 135 pounds by some, Davis vows a knockout in this weekend’s WBA title defense in a clash of unbeatens.
Davis is boxing’s biggest draw this side of three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence and four-division champion Canelo Alvarez and has dominated superior opponents to those of his lightweight counterparts entering the Premier Boxing Champions event on Showtime Pay Per View (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
“It’s time for me to show that I’m the man in this sport. I believe that I’m the face of the lightweight division. I just want to live up to that,” Davis said. “I just want to show people that there are different levels when it comes to boxing. My goal is to go out there and be better than I was yesterday.”
A five-time titleholder, Davis is 2-0 at Barclays, which is hosting its first post-pandemic fight since heavyweight Robert Helenius’ fourth-round knockout of Adam Kownacki in March 2020.
Davis, 27, announced on The Last Stand with Brian Custer that Romero may represent his last fight under contract with Mayweather Promotions of retired champion boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Davis qualified that statement somewhat during interviews at Wednesday’s open workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn.
“I feel like I have the best team in boxing with Mayweather Promotions and Al Haymon and my personal team, and I really mean that,” Davis said. “Whatever decision we make after this, I’m all for it because I feel that we always come up with the best plan as a team, and we’ve always executed our game plan.”
Davis-Romero precedes a June 5 unification clash of unbeatens in Melbourne, Australia, between 135-pound titleholders George Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) and Devin Haney (27-0, 15 KOs). Kambosos holds the IBF/WBO and WBA super titles, Haney the WBC version, and Davis the WBA regular.
Haney questioned Davis’ desire to “make the big fights happen,” saying “what’s the point in leaving your current situation. You might as well stay there and be loyal to Floyd.”
It was at Barclays in January 2017 that Davis’ one-knockdown, seventh-round stoppage dethroned previously unbeaten switch-hitter Jose Pedraza as IBF champion. “Tank” Davis did the same to left-handed WBA 130-pound titleholder Jesus Cuellar in April 2018 to win via three-knockdown, third-round TKO.
“I’m grateful to be back at Barclays Center. I won my first title there. Winning my first title at Barclays was amazing. Then I lost my title by not making weight, came back to Barclays and won the belt again,” Davis said.
“A lot of people don’t know that. Coming back to Barclays Center and New York is amazing. I love the city. I’m always here. I feel as if New York is my second home. I’m happy to be back.”
Davis’ victory over Pedraza made him the sport’s youngest reigning champion at the time at the age of 22 as well as Baltimore City’s first fighter with a world title since heavyweight Hasim Rahman upset Lennox Lewis in April 2001.
Davis was considered by some to be an underdog against Pedraza, who entered his third defense at (22-0, 15 KOs) and was thought to have too much savvy and experience for Davis to win.
After overpowering Pedraza throughout the fight, Davis flattened him with a head-swiveling right hook to the jaw that followed for his eighth straight stoppage win.
“I was on a mission when I fought Jose Pedraza for the title,” Davis said. “I didn’t do any trash talking. I went in there and proved that I’m a top guy.”
Davis then traveled to London for his first defense in May 2017, flooring previously unbeaten southpaw Liam Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) for a third-round TKO.
“When Gervonta beat Pedraza, Pedraza was an undefeated world-class champion. Then Gervonta went overseas for his first defense and obliterated an undefeated fighter in Liam Walsh,” said career-long trainer Calvin Ford of Davis.
“You have a kid in Gervonta who came from the streets of the city of Baltimore, which is hardcore. The writers just don’t wanna give Gervonta his props because he’s an inner-city kid who came from nothing, really loves what he’s doing, and he’s giving other kids hope.”
But after beating Walsh, an overweight Davis lost his crown on the scales before stopping previously undefeated Francisco Fonseca (August 2017) in eight rounds and then defeating Cuellar.
Davis last fought in December, winning by unanimous decision over Isaac Cruz.
Davis has knocked out seven current or former champions: Pedraza, Cuellar, Cristobal Cruz (October 2015), Hugo Ruiz (February 2019), Yoriorkis Gamboa (December 2019), Leo Santa Cruz (October 2020) and Mario Barrios (June 2021).
Before Isaac Cruz, Davis’ three victories comprised a 12th-round TKO of three-division champion Gamboa, a sixth-round KO of four-division champion Santa Cruz and an 11th-round TKO that dethroned previously unbeaten WBA 140-pound champion Barrios.
Gamboa was floored once each in the second, eighth and 12th, Santa Cruz was flattened and knocked out cold by a brutal left uppercut, and Barrios hit the deck twice in the eighth and once more in the 11th.
“When I hit [Romero] with one of these, it’s going to knock his whole nose off,” said Davis, “We know that ‘Rolly’ is going to come out in round one and try to knock me out like he said. I’ll be ready for that.”
But Romero vows to be the first to not only beat Davis but to knock him senseless.
“You guys are going to see ‘Tank’ get knocked out in one round Saturday night at Barclays Center. Nothing else needs to be said,” Romero said. “I’m the new face of boxing, and everyone is going to see on Saturday when I knock ‘Tank’ out. I’m going to go in there and hit him with one punch and we’re going to be done.”
Edited by Richard Pretorius and Matthew B. Hall
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Sur-rail Art: Artist Uses Miniature Railway Figurines To Create Life-like Images
Miniature railway figurines were used to create surreal images inspired by dreaming of sunny holidays in these stunning snaps.
Dad-of-one David Gilliver, 42, has used his pioneering art form to do work for commercial campaigns including 3, Sony, and Adobe – but his main passion is making his own images, using props.
He collects miniature railway figurines from as far away as Japan and Singapore and sends them to an artist to be painted to his own specifications.
They are then posed with other props – including shortbread biscuits to create a version of Stonehenge, and a plastic avocado to resemble a sunbed – and photographed.
Gilliver, who studied at Glasgow School of Art, said the technique has been copied by others trying to imitate his unique take on modern life, and prints have been sold in John Lewis.
He often uses fruit to create a landscape, including oranges sliced in half, and grapes, which look giant in comparison to the tiny figurines.
Gilliver has collected the ‘Little People’ figurines for decades, and only really alters them to make them more diverse.
Many of his recent artworks were made during the pandemic when foreign travel was difficult and involved a lot of hassle.
The series ‘100 Dioramas in 100 Days’ was made between January and April this year and depicts lighthearted scenes of tropical holidays and a lot of vino.
He said lockdown was a perfect opportunity to dream up new ideas, including Shorthenge, showing revelers worshiping at a stone circle made from shortbread.
One piece, ‘Bathing in Sunshine’ showed a diver about to plunge into half an orange, while ‘Tanning Salon’ showed a topless couple basking in the ‘rays’ from a plastic avocado.
Others used technology as a background, with ‘Hogging the Remote’ showing a family hanging out on a tiny sofa superimposed on a TV remote.
Between January and April 2022, he made 100 artworks in 100 days, and used the prospect of sunny holidays as inspiration for his lighthearted artworks.
Gilliver, who lives in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, said: “I have always enjoyed the interaction that takes place between the 2cm-tall figurines and objects or props that we humans either use or consume as we go about our daily lives.
“A lot of the images have food as the main subject matter – this seems to be a recurring theme in my artwork over the years.
“I have lost track of who I actually go food shopping for anymore – my family, or the Little People?
“The time to shoot each diorama varied, but on average each shot probably took something like two to three hours to set up, photograph and edit.
“Sometimes lighting the miniature scenes in a satisfactory way is the trickiest part, and so I spend a lot of time getting that part just right.
“I will may shoot each diorama as many as 50-200 times before I am satisfied that I have captured the scene in a way I am happy with.
“A lot of patience is required.”
Gilliver is exhibiting in the Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum this weekend.
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Bulls & Apes Rolls Out A 3D NFT Project
The Bulls & Apes Project is a 3D NFT (non-fungible token) initiative seeking to redefine what NFT collectors should expect and want from their collections. There are 10,000 OG Bulls located in the Mint #1 location.
Owners of Bull NFTs will have the ability to mint collections using their tokens, with each collection including 9,000 Teen Bulls and 500 God Bulls.
The project is focused on eliminating any potential financial dangers associated with the purchase of NFTs.
Anthony Mongiello, Bulls & Apes cofounder and CEO, has almost 20 years of experience driving broad culture change, usiness intelligence, strategic transformation programs and technology road mapping, according to the company.
The other two co-founders, Manny Coats and Guillermo Puyol, have worked on mobile games, software development and marketing for most of their careers.
They and other members of management say they are confident in the quality of the products, and the company is offering a money-back guarantee to customers valid for six months.
“The only constant in the NFT space is change. Things change fast, and we must adapt quickly to be able to survive and thrive in this space…, “ Bulls & Apes says on its website. “We will change and adapt as the space changes. What will not change is our constant efforts to be transparent and open with our community members; that is a constant you can count on.
“At this very moment, we are producing outstanding artwork that we are confident anyone would be honored to have as their profile picture,” Bulls & Apes says.
The team went on to say that it is making adjustments to the way NFT projects ought to be managed.
“There are no more rug pulls. There will be no more cons. Due to the fact that our project has already received sufficient funding, we do not require any Mint cash in order to run the business. We are able to set aside these funds so that YOU, our NFT holders, are protected.
“We are the only company in the sector to provide a money-back guarantee that is valid for a full six months. Participate in our money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with our project, the floor price falls below your comfort level, or you choose to return your bulls for any reason. If any of these things happen, we will refund your purchase price.”
Produced in association with MetaNews.
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Chip Chip, Hooray: Woman Tries Her First Proper Meal After 23 Years Of Only Eating Potato Chips
A woman who lived on a diet of cheese and onion flavored potato chip sandwiches for 23 years has finally eaten a proper meal – after being hypnotized.
Zoe Sadler, 25, has munched on Walkers potato chip in buttered white bread since she was a toddler.
She scoffed two packs of her favorite potato chips every day for more than two decades after other foods left her feeling physically sick.
Zoe, from Coventry, said: “My mum and dad say I tried other foods as a toddler but I always turned my nose up or refused to put them in my mouth.
“Apparently the only thing mum could get down me were potato chips which I used to suck until they were soft.
“I remember being at school when I was little and having potato chip sandwiches in my lunch box. They were the only thing I liked to eat.
“I usually had a bowl of dry cereal for breakfast and then a potato chip sandwich for lunch and another one for dinner.
“Sometimes I’d try other flavor chips because the texture wouldn’t bother me.
“Christmas was always hard for me because I’d never want very much to eat.
“I’d be able to have a Yorkshire pudding but never with gravy.”
After developing Multiple Sclerosis three years ago, Zoe decided to improve her health and turned to hypnotherapist David Kilmurry for help.
After undergoing two two-hour hypnotherapy sessions, Zoe has been able to enjoy her first taste of fruits and vegetables alongside other foods.
She said: “I was diagnosed with MS and I just thought, I need to get healthier and feel better.
“I looked around on the internet and read some articles where David had helped other fussy eaters so I contacted him.
“We had two two-hour sessions which felt like they lasted five minutes each and after the second one I was able to try loads of different foods.
“I can’t believe how nice strawberries are and I even tried a Wagamama chili squid which was really spicy.
“I’m looking forward to trying curry and lots of other different foods.”
Warehouse operative Zoe, who weighs 126 lbs and fits into size 8 dresses, lives with fiance Jason Fox, 28, a carpenter.
Zoe was also motivated to overcome her obsession with potato chip sandwiches in time to enjoy a hearty meal at her wedding next March.
She added: “I really don’t just want to be eating potato chip sandwiches on my wedding day. Now I’m looking forward to planning our wedding day menu with Jason.”
London-based therapist and hypnotist David Kilmurry hypnotized Zoe after diagnosing her with Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
He said: “Huge credit to Zoe on her recovery, her progress has been phenomenal and has superseded my expectations.
“In a very short amount of time with myself and at home she has been calmly eating new meals and incorporated many new high-grade fruits and vegetables to her ‘safe’ foods list.
“Recently diagnosed with MS it is dangerous for her to live on a diet of just potato chip sandwiches even if you counteract it with exercise.
“Straight after hypnotism in the chair Zoe was open to trying new fruits and vegetables including cabbage, blueberries and left with a pot of nuts, cranberries and several other foods which she excitedly ate.”
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