Mario “El Azteca” Barrios vs Gervonta “Tank” Davis ©Patrick McMullan, Getty Images
Attorney Thomas J. Henry Sponsors Mario “El Azteca” Barrios In WBA Championship Boxing 11 Round Thriller on Showtime PPV
Gervonta “Tank” Davis defeated Mario “El Azteca” Barrios to capture the WBA Super Lightweight Championship on SHOWTIME PPV
Gervonta “Tank” Davis, one of the biggest stars in all of boxing, put on a career-defining performance on SHOWTIME PPV from the sold-out, award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta, scoring a scintillating 11th round TKO over the previously undefeated Mario “El Azteca”Barrios to capture the WBA Super Lightweight Championship in the action-packed Premier Boxing Champions event. Watch the stoppage HERE. The main event was Barrios’ first fight under his partnership and sponsorship with Texas personal injury attorney and Philanthropist, Thomas J. Henry.
The glitz and glamour of Las Vegas was brought to Atlanta for the championship boxing match between Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Mario ‘El Azteca’ Barrios. International Boxing Hall of Famer and promoter Floyd Mayweather adorned massive chains around his neck likely worth millions while coaching his protégé Davis from the side of the ring to ultimate victory. Thomas J. Henry and sponsor for San Antonio native Barrios pulled out all the stops for his fighter, splashing out half a million dollars on a private 737 plane to fly him and his family to Atlanta ahead of the fight.
During the grand entrances for both fighters, Barrios came out surrounded by Aztec dancers dressed in traditional garb as drums played ahead of the main event. Davis made his entrance alongside rapper Lil Baby as the arena of over 16,000 cheered. Notables at the star-studded fight included NBA legend Julius Irving, as well as NBA stars and podcast hosts for “All the Smoke,” Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes. Other guests included Adrien Broner, and Lenny Walls.
The night before at the weigh-ins, Gervonta Davis and Mario Barrios came in just under the limit for their 140 lb fight. Davis (24-0, 23 KO) was at 139¾, with Barrios (26-0, 17 KO) at 139½. The height difference was obvious and apparent, and that’s something Tank had to deal with during the spectacular main event. Both looked in shape and ready to go, with Davis looking like he’s added some lean muscle for his first fight at junior welterweight.
While it was a thrilling back-and-forth fight, Davis won with a TKO in the 11th round. “I made it tough. I definitely could have made it easier but I went up two weight classes and I got the job done,” said the 26-year-old Baltimore native, who was headlining his second SHOWTIME PPV. “I hit him with some clean shots, but I’m the type of fighter that wants to catch you with clean shots. I don’t just want to throw any type of shot. The shots I was throwing were missing, but eventually I caught up with him.”
In a fight that lived up to its potential, Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) and Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) combined to put on an unforgettable main event in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,570. After a slow opening four rounds in which Davis landed just 11 punches, the fight produced fireworks beginning in the fifth round. In the eighth round, “Tank” sent “El Azteca” to the canvas for both the first and second times of his career. First, Davis connected on a sweeping right hook that sent the former champion to the canvas. Moments later, a straight left hand by Davis dropped Barrios again. The brave Barrios rose to his feet, surviving Davis’ attempts to finish him in the eighth.
With Floyd Mayweather encouraging Davis in his corner, the southpaw came out rejuvenated in the eleventh round, realizing that the fight could be close on the scorecards. “Tank” dropped Barrios for the third time in the fight, this time with a left uppercut to the body. The bloodied Barrios rose again, only to be greeted with another barrage of punches from Davis. Referee Thomas Taylor stepped in to stop the fight at 2:13 of the eleventh round.
“I knew for sure if I catch him, I’m crackin,” Davis told SHOWTIME’s Jim Gray. “So I caught him, and it showed. My coach was telling me to go to a jab style but I’m a southpaw so they know I’m going to that jab side. So I would try and bait him in. I faked like I was going left, and I threw my right. And my hook over top, and that’s where I caught him.”
In the final six-and-a-half rounds, Davis landed 85 punches. He landed 45 percent of his power punches (82/182), while Barrios more than held his own, out-landing Davis in six of the ten completed rounds.
“I knew he was hurt. I just had to catch him at the right time,” Davis continued. “Floyd [Mayweather] came to me and was honest and said I was down,” continued Davis, who was actually ahead on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage. “So he said ‘Show me that you’re great.’ And you know how we do it in the doghouse, baby!”
With the victory, Davis now holds world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few other fighters in history, including Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” said Mayweather. “When I first met ‘Tank’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion. And that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
“I’ve never been a hater. Congrats to ‘Tank’,” said Barrios. “He came here and did his thing. It was nothing short of an exciting fight and that’s exactly what both of us predicted. He was the better man tonight, but I’ll definitely be back.
“’Tank’ is explosive. He caught me slipping and it’s boxing. At the end of the day, one punch can change the fight. That’s exactly what I felt happened. Congrats to him.”
Other action included:
Orlando’s Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (23-1, 17 KOs) overcame some adversity to score the most important victory of his career over former unified world champion Jeison Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs). The WBC No. 1-ranked contender at 154 pounds, Lubin scored a sixth-round KO (1:42) in the WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator.
On the biggest stage of his career, Dominican Republic’s Carlos Adames (20-1, 16 KOs) rose to the occasion, scoring a highlight-reel third-round knockout over the streaking Alexis Salazar (23-4, 9 KOs) in the second fight of the pay-per-view. The time of the stoppage was 2:59 of the third round.
And in the opening bout of the SHOWTIME PPV telecast, the hard-hitting Batyr Akhmedov (9-1, 8 KOs) scored a TKO victory over former world champion Argenis Mendez (25-7-3, 12 KOs) in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator. Mendez suffered a right hand injury and did not get off his stool to come out for the ninth round. The official time of the stoppage was 3:00 of round number eight.
Veteran sportscaster Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME PPV telecast while versatile combat sports voice Mauro Ranallo handled blow-by-blow action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and three-division world champion Abner Mares. Three Hall of Famers rounded out the SHOWTIME telecast team – Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. The executive producer was four-time Emmy® award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The telecast was directed by Bob Dunphy. Former junior middleweight world champion Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and sportscaster Alejandro Luna served as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).
For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.
Texas personal injury attorney Thomas J. Henry, whose record-breaking verdicts and recoveries have been featured in Fortune, Forbes, and Newsweek magazines, began his partnership with Mario “El Azteca” Barrios starting with the championship fight against Gervonta Davis. At the press conference earlier in the week in San Antonio, TX, for the championship fight, the famed attorney flew in the previously undefeated Barrios, and gave him the entrance and introduction he deserves, with the red carpet off a private jet accompanied by a professional Aztec Dance Troupe.
The new multi-fight deal will also transcend the sport of boxing and allow Mario Barrios to work alongside Thomas J. Henry on multiple philanthropic endeavors hosted and promoted by Thomas J. Henry and his law firm.
“My initial interest in Mario was derived from his commitment to excellence both in and out of the ring,” said Thomas J. Henry. “He is dedicated to personal growth at all levels, training tirelessly to hone his craft as a boxer while also committing himself to philanthropy and giving back to the San Antonio community. Mario is exactly the kind of athlete and individual we should support and celebrate.”
“This experience has been a wild and fun ride and yesterday, as my team and I got picked up in the Bay Area from a private jet that my title sponsor, Thomas J. Henry, provided,” said Barrios. “Thomas is a well-respected gentleman in the state of Texas, and especially in my hometown of San Antonio, where his law firm headquarters is located. An incredible press conference was waiting me at the airport when I was picking up my family in San Antonio, all because of TJH. All the local media showed up in support of my fight with Gervonta Davis airing this Saturday on SHOWTIME PPV. The press conference was like a movie scene (smiling), with Aztec dancers, DJs, and all, it was great. I’m looking forward to doing some incredible community work with Thomas J. Henry.”
“Right now, my dreams and aspirations are becoming reality as these special moments are happening in real time,” Barrios continued. “We arrived in Atlanta last night and El Azteca is in warrior spirit, and best believe I’m coming for this man who is trying to take my belt. I want to thank all my San Antonio fans and everyone in Texas for their continued support. I want to let them know that we are going into battle together, as one. Tank has his army of fans, and I have mine. It’s going to be a great fight and may the best man win.”
Thomas J. Henry is nationally recognized for his charitable events and actions, and regularly seeks out like-minded individuals and organizations to amplify their vision for giving back to the community.
In March, Thomas J. Henry partnered with Christy’s Hope, The Purple Door, and SAFE Alliance, to launch a campaign against domestic violence. Last year, Thomas J. Henry created and hosted ‘Austin Elevates,’ using his professional connections and celebrity status to recruit top entertainers such as Kygo, Daddy Yankee, DaBaby, and 88Glam, to perform a one-of-a-kind charity concert at the Austin 360 amphitheater. The event raised more than $160,000 for its beneficiaries which Thomas J. Henry personally matched, bringing the total amount to $327,720.
About Mario “El Azteca” Barrios:Born in Racine, Wisconsin, Mario Barrios moved to San Antonio, Texas at an early age and considers the city his hometown. He made his professional boxing debut on November 11, 2013, and currently holds a professional record of 26 wins with no losses or draws and 17 knockouts. Mario Barrios is the WBA Super Lightweight World Champion and is nationally ranked as the number six Super Lightweight World Champion.
About Thomas J. Henry Law, PLLC:Thomas J. Henry is the founder and owner of Thomas J. Henry Law, PLLC, one of the nation’s leading personal injury firms. For over 25 years, the firm has fought to secure justice and compensation for individuals who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of others and to prevent similar instances of wrongful death from occurring again. Over that time, Thomas J. Henry and his firm have been the recipients of numerous awards and recognitions.
In 2020, the firm was named one of the “Best Places to Work” by Glassdoor for the second consecutive year. It was the only law firm to secure the accolade. That same year, Thomas J. Henry was named one of SA Scene Magazine’s “Best San Antonio Lawyers.”
In 2019, Thomas J. Henry Law was recognized as one of the nation’s “Premier Law Firms” by Newsweek.com. That same year, Bloomberg Businessweek published a feature on Thomas J. Henry, highlighting his firm’s “clear commitment to client satisfaction.” Thomas J. Henry was also named the “Best Attorney of San Antonio” by the SA Current.
In 2018, Thomas J. Henry was named a “Distinguished Lawyer” by Lawyers of Distinction and was also recognized as one of the “Best Personal Injury Attorneys” in the nation by Newsweek.com. In 2017, Thomas J. Henry achieved one of the 10 largest verdicts recorded in Texas for the year (awarded to Thomas J. Henry by Texas Lawyer, an ALM company) as well as the #1 Texas Car Accident, Bus Accident, and Negligent Supervision Verdicts for the year (awarded to Thomas J. Henry by TopVerdict.com).
For more information about Thomas J. Henry please visit thomasjhenrylaw.com.Follow Thomas J. Henry on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates
