Gervonta Davis scores 11th round TKO over Mario Barrios

Power can change everything. Through seven rounds, Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios battled pretty evenly.

Everything changed in round eight as Davis scored two knockdowns - ultimately stopping the brave Barrios in round 11 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA Saturday night.

The fight started slowly. Davis, five inches shorter, was unable to get under the reach of Barrios. The defending champion continued to box from a distance in round two. Davis, a southpaw, finally landed a hard shot halfway through the round. Barrios took it well. Davis (26-0, 25 KOs)landed the same shot in round three as Barrios popped him with jabs. Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) connected with a solid right that got Davis’s attention in round four.

In round five, Davis and Barrios again met in the center of the ring. Davis, 26, had shown the faster hands, but Barrios was steady. He fired a double jab. Davis landed two lead left hands. Barrios moved and jabbed.

Davis fired his deadly uppercut. It just missed. A body shot didn’t. Davis landed a clean left. Barrios caught Davis with a clean right in round six. Davis went to the body. A hard left connected. Barrios has a chin. He landed his own body shot. Davis was forcing the fight and doing well. Davis, with his hands high, ate an uppercut and two rights in round seven. Barrios fired a right. Davis fought back. His straight left couldn’t miss.

Both fighters had swelling around their eyes. In round eight, Barrios landed a solid right to the body, Davis stepped in and landed a crunching right hook that sent Barrios to the canvas for the first time in his career. The champion got up but was down again seconds later courtesy of a wicked left. Barrios pulled himself up and faced the onrushing Davis. He punched back, but Davis pounded him with hooks.

Barrios appeared to have recovered in round nine. He landed a left hook to the gut. Davis, likely tired after firing so many punches in round eight, didn’t do a lot. Barrios took the round with scoring blows.

Davis, told by manager Floyd Mayweather that unofficially he was down on the scorecards, (not on my scorecard) walked after Barrios in round 10. Barrios worked up and down while Davis connected with a couple of lefts to the head. A big left hurt Barrios again. He fought back. Davis left fly with a left that landed.

Both fighters came out punching in round 11. Barrios attacked the body. Davis landed two jabs and a left. Barrios connected with a left to the chin. Davis connected with a brutal uppercut and right hook. A huge body shot put Barrios down for the third time. The courageous fighter got up again, but Davis ended the fight with a shot to the chin.

The time was 2:13 seconds into round 11.

“I went up two weight classes and got the job done, said Davis. “I was coming up two weight classes,” Davis said, “but I knew that, you know, if I catch him, I know for sure I’m crackin.”

“Tank’s explosive,” Barrios said. “You know, he caught me slippin, and I mean, you know, it’s boxing. But at the end of the day, Tank can fight.”

Power.