Opinion: Here's Why Tank's Experience will Overwhelm his Challenger

Tonight, Tanks squares off against Martin for the lightweight championship.Photo by(The author)

Baltimore's own looks to remain undefeated in tonight's championship match

BALTIMORE, MD — "What makes you so confident Tank will beat Martin tonight?" a pal asked me earlier. "After all, both guys are undefeated. So, who really knows?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "The only thing that we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history," I said.

As I explained, there's a reason almost a decade ago Floyd Mayweather handpicked Gervonta "Tank" Davis to carry the torch.

Like Mayweather, Davis was a child prodigy. He started boxing at the Upton Boxing Center when he was barely 5. Davis' opponent, on the other hand, didn't pick up the gloves until he was in high school (age 17).

So think about that for a second...

...While Martin played football in childhood, Davis was being trained by Calvin Ford. In Baltimore, Ford is so iconic that the character Dennis "Cutty" Wise — from the hit HBO television series — was based on Ford's real life.

While Tank collected championships as an amateur, Martin played football.Photo by(The author)

While Davis racked up National Golden Gloves Championships and two National Junior Olympics gold medals, Martin hadn't once stepped in the ring. Not once.

My point?

If you've ever been inside a boxing ring, you know when a punch is flying at your head — there's no time to think. Instinct is the name of the game of boxing.

When Tank squares off with Martin tonight, the Baltimore native's instincts will eventually overwhelm the relative newcomer.

Sure, I expect Martin to put up a great challenge tonight. He's undefeated for a reason. But by the time the final bell rings, Martin will then know why it's said:

Experience is a hard teacher... she gives the lesson before the study guide.