LAS VEGAS -- It's finally fight night, and it's a special one at the iconic MGM Grand Garden Arena. Gervonta "Tank" Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) takes on challenger Frank Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) out of Dallas, Texas for the WBA lightweight title in the main event. The co-main event features "The Mexican Monster" David Benavidez, who takes on Ukraine's Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs) for the WBC interim light heavyweight belt.
The rest of the main card is as follows:
Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs) vs. Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs) for the WBC interim super lightweight title.
Carlos Adames (C) (23-1, 18 KOs) vs. Terrell Gausha (24-3-1) for Adames' WBC middleweight title.
Stay tuned for live updates from ringside.
Gervonta "Tank" Davis vs. Frank Martin
Round 1: Davis isn't throwing anything of consequence here in the first round. He has a few fast counters for Martin but Tank is playing patient. Martin knows what he needs to do early and he's trying, outlanding Tank 11-3 in the first round. Albeit, Tank was far more efficient. 10-9 Martin anyway to start.
Round 2: Tank continues to be ultra-defensive, but manages a few significant blows on Martin that draw reactions from the capacity crowd at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Martin has gone to the clinch three times already to this point but is controlling the pace of the fight so far. Feels like Davis is waiting for the later rounds to strike. Martin takes another round early here, surprisingly. 10-9.
Round 3: Frank Martin is swinging for the fences, and he's starting to make significant contact. Tank has a real fight on his hands here, he's been tagged a few times already. Martin again, 10-9. 30-27.
Round 4: This is the first round you could give to Tank tonight and feel good about. You get the feeling he's not playing for points here, but he'll get some there. 10-9 Davis, 39-37 Martin.
Round 5: Tank's done feeling his way around and he's taking some massive swings now. As good as Martin is doing on the scorecard tonight, the dynamite shot from Davis doesn't seem too far out of reach. Martin lands a big shot too but Tank is starting to find his groove. Davis 10-9 this time, 48-47 Martin.
Round 6: Tank landed a few huge shots, one particularly jarring blow coming as Martin was pinned in the corner. We can keep counting points, but a knockout is coming. 10-9 Davis again for now, and we're back even at 57-57 on my scorecard.
Round 7: Tank very nearly gets that knockout early in the seventh. The fans in the arena are standing and their cell phones are recording as they wait for Davis to finish off his prey. Literally everyone is standing. This feels like watching an animal go for the kill on the Discovery Channel. 10-9 Tank. 67-66 Tank. We'll have an eighth round, we're going to have to see about the ninth.
Round 8: TANK ENDS IT. IT'S OVER. TKO IN THE EIGHTH ROUND. MGM GRAND IS GOING BALLISTIC.
David Benavidez vs. Oleksandr Gvozdyk
Round 1: Gvozdyk enters in arguably the best in-ring shape we've seen him in. We'll see how much it matters against the Mexican Monster down the stretch. Very much a feel-out round with Benavidez getting the edge 10-9.
Round 2: As great of shape as Gvozdyk is in, it doesn't really matter when you can't connect for consequence. Benavidez lands a hard combo that gets oohs and ahs from the crowd, Gvozdyk counters but not nearly as effective. This isn't news, but Benavidez's power is jarring. It might be a moral win for Gvozdyk if he doesn't nap in the ring tonight. As it stands, another 10-9 for Benavidez.
Round 3: Gvozdyk weathers some more monstrous blows from The Mexican Monster himself. He's still awake but he's not making any progress. 10-9 Benavidez again, 30-27 total.
Round 4: Gvozdyk had an active start to the round, but it ended with Benavidez delivering a series of devastating blows. The most damaging being an uppercut-hook combo that surely left the Ukranian wishing he was anywhere but here. 10-9 Benavidez again.
Round 5: Benavidez unleashed a remarkable flurry on Gvozdyk that drew a great reaction from the heavily partisan crowd. Another mammoth hook landed by The Monster as well. Benavidez is putting on an absolute clinic right now, and a show for these fans. 10-9 Benavidez, 50-46 total.
Round 6: Gvozdyk is essentially sparring at this point, and Benavidez is just patiently waiting for his shot. You get the feeling that it's coming soon. All things considered, this felt like the closest round. It just feels like anything Gvozdyk does is hapless, even as he's landing shots that should be damaging. Another 10-9 for The Monster. 60-55.
Round 7: Clinical round from Benavidez, but he ends by missing a hook that was thrown comically hard. More of the same. 10-9 Benavidez.
Round 8: Benavidez is still throwing absolutely massive shots, but it's starting to come at the cost of some noticeable fatigue. Gvozdyk managing to land some solid shots but nothing that is doing any particular damage to The Monster. 10-9 Benavidez, 80-73.
Round 9: Gvozdyk lands a heavy shot but Benavidez is mostly sparring and draining this one out, save for a few of his usual heavy combination attempts. If you have Gvozdyk taking any of these rounds, that's probably the one. I don't know if I'd go that far, 10-9 Benavides. 90-82.
Round 10: Less power from Benavidez down the stretch here but he's been more clinical in turn. Highlight of the round is a dodge-and-jab combo that was an exhibition of finesse, 10-9 Benavidez again. 100-91.
Round 11: Benavidez is bleeding this one out, not opening himself up to any potential risks. He pushes Gvozdyk to the ropes and unleashes one heavy combination for the round, but he's mostly waiting this one out. For good reason, as this one is all but over on the scorecards. 10-9, 110-100 heading into the final round.
Round 12: Benavidez wraps up a dominant performance by taking all twelve rounds. He had it his way all night, and while it was a noble challenge from Gvozdyk, it was simply not enough. 120-108 clean sweep for Benavidez on my card.
Will's scorecard: 120-108 Benavidez
Judge's scorecard: Benavidez UD, 116-112, 117-111, 119-109
Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Alberto Puello
Round 1: Heavy underdog Puello is evading the knockout artist Gary Antuanne Russell very successfully early here. He's slippery. 10-9 Puello.
Round 2: More impressive movement from Puello this round. I think Gary Antuanne Russell has more than he bargained for. At least early. 10-9 Puello, 20-18 total.
Round 3: This is the version of Gary Antuanne Russell the fans are here to see. He finally manages to walk Puello down and delivers a dominant round. Puello did have a strong flurry of body shots while in the clinch but Russell is out for blood now. 10-9 Russell, 29-28 total still in favor of Puello.
Round 4: Russell comes out aggressive again and manages some big shots, but Puello responds late in the round and makes it interesting. Very interesting. Close round but the slightest advantage to Russell. 10-9, my scorecard sits even at 38-38.
Round 5: Another jam-packed, closely contested round. This fight is certainly making up for the last one, and Puello continues to impress with wizard-like dodges and very strong counters. 10-9 Puello, 48-47 Puello.
Round 6: I have the heavy underdog Puello with a 3-2 advantage on rounds headed into the sixth. The way Russell came off the stool this round, I think he feels the same. He stunned Puello with a massive shot there, ironically after another brilliant feint from Puello. That one goes to Russell. 10-9. Back even at 57 all.
Round 7: Russell provides pressure in the seventh, but Puello is incredibly productive, and according to CompuBox, landed a fight high nine punches on another fight high 46 attempts in the round. Big one for Puello, 10-9. Puello up 67-66.
Round 8: Another clinical 10-9 round for Puello, and with Russell falling behind here I expect to see him go knockout hunting. He is in trouble if this gets in the judges hands. Puello up 77-75 on my card.
Round 9: Yup, Russell is hunting for the knockout. Now a potentially catastrophic development for Puello on the scorecard, as he's docked a point for holding AND Russell has a productive round. This is an absolutely massive 10-8 round for Gary Russell. Somehow my card is back even AGAIN at 85-85. This is war.
Round 10: Antuanne hits Puello with a low blow and Puello retreats to the corner to recover as the official separates them. Nothing docked. Slight advantage to Russell in the round, who took advantage of the laboring Puello. 10-9 Russell, for a 95-94 total advantage on my card.
Round 11: Now it's Puello who is unloading and looking for the big destructive shot to flip this scorecard. Puello still moving relatively well and missing plenty of Russell's shots as well. Very strong counter from Puello damages Russell and his eye is swelling. Puello 10-9, back even at 104-104.
Round 12: Here we go. Let's see how this war ends. Puello hits Russell with a low shot and Russell drops to his knees as the ref separates them. Puello is absolutely teeing off now. Russell has very little in the answers department. Massive final round for Puello, 10-9. He's the winner on my card, but this could go either way with the judges as a whole.
Will's scorecard: 114-113 Puello
Judge's scorecards: 118-109 Russell, 115-112 Puello, 114-113 Puello
Carlos Adames vs. Terrell Gausha
Round 1: Adames already proving to be a handful for Gausha, who was a +440 underdog. Adames landed a hard overhand that rattled Gausha a bit, but no real damage. 10-9 Adames.
Round 2: Gausha was a bit more active in the second round, but more clinical boxing from the champ Adames. Another expected 10-9 round for the Caballo Bronco. 20-18.
Round 3: This fight, like other Adames bouts in the past, is lacking for action to this point. 10-9 Adames, 30-27 total.
Round 4: Adames is picking up the pressure here in the fourth and is starting to land some hard shots. Gausha can only muster counters as The Bronco is now controlling the fight. 10-9 Adames, 40-36.
Round 5: Gausha lands a hard shot that finally drew some cheers from his fan section. Other than that, still all Adames. 10-9 Bronco. 50-45.
Round 6: More clinical work from Adames, but he hasn't impressed tonight. He could by up by all six rounds on the scorecards, but this is not as dominant an effort as that may suggest. 60-54 total.
Round 7: Here we go. Adames is hammering Gausha with a diet of hooks to the head and hard shots to the body. Adames is certainly teeing off and looking for the knockdown or better. Doesn't get it. 10-9, 70-63.
Round 8: Adames has slowed the pace a bit from the previous round but is still mixing jabs with a litany of big-time hooks, and Gausha is not having a great time blocking them. 10-9 Adames, 80-72.
Round 9: It's pretty clear at this point that Adames is just draining the clock now and will take what is surely going to be a unanimous decision. Gausha took this round, as he has taken advantage of Adames' refusal to keep his foot on the gas. 10-9 Gausha. Adames still up comfortably on my card, 89-82.
Round 10: Another round for Adames that is clear but not exactly decisive. 10-9. 99-91 Bronco.
Round 11: Adames hits Gausha hard below the belt and the fighters are separated. I'll give Gausha a slight edge here in what was a slight improvement upon what was relatively the same. 10-9 Gausha, Adames still ahead 108-101 by my count.
Round 12: Adames takes this one all the way to the finish line and should be walking away with a unanimous decision here. 10-9 Bronco in the final round, but not a great fight to spectate. Or write about.
Will's scorecard: 118-110
Final scorecards: Adames UD. 119-110 Adames, 118-110 Adames, 118-110 Adames.