Now that the boxing world has begun to emerge from its pandemic-induced hibernation, the fighters who have waited months to step into the ring (and to collect the paychecks that come with it) are finally getting back to work.
That includes some of Baltimore’s best boxers. Gervonta “Tank” Davis has a date scheduled that will tell us something about his ability to draw pay-per-view buys. Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson has already returned to score an impressive victory. And the pugilist known as The Educated Boxer, aka Dorian Bostic, has earned the second victory of his unlikely career.
So, let’s take a look at the boxers who call Baltimore home and see where they stand in their careers, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Gervonta “Tank” Davis: The biggest star to come out of Maryland since, when?, heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, Davis will headline a Showtime PPV on Oct. 24 vs. four-division titlist Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs). Davis is about a 3/1 favorite at the moment, but there are potential issues for Davis, who is 23-0 with 22 knockouts and who holds a lightweight title. Aside from his latest legal issues, which began in February when he allegedly “battered” the mother of his child during a charity basketball game in Florida (he’s since been charged with simple battery/domestic assault), Davis didn’t perform well in his last fight. Although he was moving up from 130 to 135 pounds, he missed weight on his first attempt, and though he eventually weighed in at 134.5 pounds, he didn’t look great against a veteran in Yuriorkis Gamboa who happened to suffer a torn Achilles tendon during the fight.
Now, Davis, who is putting his 135-pound title on the line against Santa Cruz’s 130-pound belt, will have to weigh five pounds less than he did for the Gamboa contest. It could turn into a confusing mess if Davis can’t make the contracted weight again. But Showtime executives are confident in Davis. “Look, he’s motivated here,” Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza said. “I don’t think there will be any problems making weight on this one.”
Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson: Despite the pandemic, Simpson has fought twice this year, and he’s coming off a first-round knockout of Alex Sandro Duarte, the most experienced opponent of Simpson’s career, in July. Earlier this month, the 20-year-old Simpson signed an advisory deal with MTK Global, a management company based in the U.K. that is slowly beginning to creep into the U.S. market. Considering MTK represents fighters like heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, former Fighter of the Year Carl Frampton and featherweight prospect Michael Conlan, this seems like a smart move for Simpson.
Here’s what MTK Global CEO Bob Yeland had to say about the Baltimore native: “We’re always striving to work with the best boxers in the world and we truly believe that he is destined to reach those heights. We’ve expanded into America recently with the unveiling of the MTK Tuscon Gym, and with other moves in the USA on the horizon soon, we’re certain that Lorenzo can spearhead our presence in the country and become a huge name. He’s clearly a very exciting fighter and brings with him a superb amateur pedigree, so I urge fans to keep an eye on his progression because he’s definitely capable of achieving plenty of success.”
Malik Hawkins: He’ll be the first Baltimore boxer to appear on a major telecast since the pandemic began when the undefeated Hawkins (18-0, 11 KOs) faces Subriel Matias (15-1, 15 KOs) on the Oct. 10 Showtime card. Hawkins is coming off an impressive knockout victory of the previously undefeated Darwin Price, but Matias’ power could provide quite a test for Hawkins.
Dorian “The Educated Boxer” Bostic: Although Bostic has had only two professional fights in his career, his story is a fascinating one. Bostic boxed in college, but he didn’t actually make his pro debut until he was in his late 20s. He grew up in the foster system, and for his full-time job, he was an assistant social worker at a local rehab center while working toward a Ph.D in human services. “I grew up in the foster system. I spent most of my life as a ward of the Maryland court system. I went from place to place. I bounced around. It was nothing to brag on,” Bostic told me last year. “My mother was a drug addict. My father is doing 50 years in prison [on apparent manslaughter charges]. Things were always rough like that. That’s the reason I’m able to box—because I’m a fighter outside the ring and inside the ring.”
So far, he’s been perfect as a pro boxer. In May 2018, he scored a first-round knockout vs. Geral Thomas, and on Aug. 8, he followed that up with another first-round stoppage of DaRon Jenkins. But something to keep in mind: The combined record of Thomas and Jenkins is 0-5, so it’s unclear just how good Bostic can be.
Malik Warren: Only three fights into this pro career, Warren has a heavy hitter as his promotor: Floyd Mayweather, the best fighter of the past 20 years. Warren is 3-0 with three knockouts, but he hasn’t fought since December 2019. Still, Warren, a 20-year-old who went 68-24 during his amateur career, was excited about his move to Mayweather. “This is really a dream come true,” Warren said in a statement last October when he signed with Mayweather Promotions. “Coming from a city where crime and poverty affects many families, I’m blessed enough to do what I love and sign with the best promotional company in boxing.”
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Josh Katzowitz is a longtime sports writer who covers boxing for Forbes and who previously reported on the NFL for CBSSports.com. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. He’s currently a writer and editor at the Daily Dot. His work has been noted twice in the Best American Sports Writing book series.