4 possible opponents after Frank Martin

Gervonta Davis stalked and stopped Frank Martin on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Davis scored a KO in the eighth round after catching Martin with a vicious left uppercut and following it up with a straight left hand. Martin was left lying on his back and did not earn referee Harvey Dock’s ten count.

Here is a look at the finish.

Immediately following Davis’ win, there was some immediate talk about Tank’s next opponent. Here are four of the most frequently mentioned names.

Shakur Stevenson

Stevenson went to X right after Davis won and talked like something was up for him and Tank.

Martin was supposed to fight Stevenson in November 2023, but the former pulled out of the fight and the latter defeated Edwin De Los Santos in a one-sided but boring victory.

Stevenson has feuded with Davis on social media as the former appears to be one of the more shunned fighters in the crowded 135-140 pound division. Davis and Stevenson would be tied, but it’s unclear what it would take for the two sides to contend.

Neither has partnered with Turki Alalshikh of Riyadh’s season, so it’s unclear whether intervention from the Saudis could improve the likelihood of this matchup happening.

Stevenson will defend his WBC lightweight title against Artem Haroutunian on July 6 in Newark.

Teofimo Lopez

While he has been criticized for having high compensation demands for big fights, Teofimo Lopez is another fighter who could be a great next opponent for Davis.

Philly Special’s Raging Babe specifically mentioned Lopez as an intriguing potential opponent for Davis.

Lopez has moved up to 140 pounds, so Davis needs to follow suit to get a fight with him.

That’s not out of the question for Tank, given that two of his opponents, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, have already made that jump. Lopez’s punching power and accuracy potentially threaten Davis and the challenge of moving up in weight.

It’s not just the race itself. Lopez’s strong endorsement and ESPN’s backing could make it a bigger event with significant financial implications.

Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO super lightweight title against Steve Claggett on June 29 in Miami Beach, setting the stage for a potentially lucrative fight with Davis.

Vasilis Lomachenko

From a pure boxing standpoint, a Davis vs. Vasili Lomachenko fight is one of the more attractive fights. Lomachenko just regained a world title with a masterful stoppage of Giorgos Kamposos in May.

If Davis fights Lomachenko next, he would have a chance to unify two of the belts at 135 pounds. Adding Lomachenko’s scalp would also add some luster to Davis’ legacy.

Likewise, Lomachenko would further cement his greatness if he could become the first man to unseat Davis.

However, I wonder if Lomachenko has enough in his tank to fight and defeat a fighter as explosive and dangerous as Davis.

William Zepeda

Golden Boy and the Premier Boxing champions sometimes played poorly together.

However, taking Davis against William Zepeda in his next fight makes sense from a pure boxing standpoint. Zepeda is the No. 1 contender for Davis’ WBA title. He last fought in March when he stopped Maxi Hughes in the fourth round.

Despite an impressive record of 30-0 with 26 KOs, Zepeda is often overlooked in discussions of top fighters in his weight class. However, if promoted correctly, the fight could showcase the underdog potential of this American-Mexican fighter, a narrative that has proven successful in the past.

Adding to the intrigue is a well-known rivalry between Leonard Ellerbe, Davis’ advisor, and Oscar De La Hoya, the face of Golden Boy Promotions. This personal momentum could further fuel anticipation for the match.

The build to this fight would be fun and a logical next fight for Davis due to Zepeda’s ranking. Expect to hear some definitive news on Davis’ next moves before the end of the summer.