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SPORTS Monday 30 deceMber 2019
Davis stops Gamboa in 12th, wins WBA lightweight title

By GEORGE HENRY 21 years ago.
Associated Press “My thing was to go out
ATLANTA (AP) — Gervon- there, touch him up, not
ta Davis could tell early get hit and break him
on that Yuriorkis Gamboa down,” Davis said.
wouldn’t go down easily, “I believe if I would’ve
so Davis decided to be pa- touched him to the body
tient and wear him down. more that I would’ve got-
“I wasn’t pressed for the ten him out of there early,
knockout,” Davis said. but lesson learned. I put on
“Once I seen I was hurting a great performance for
him and he wasn’t getting the fans. I’m grateful.”
out of there, I just had to Davis had a dramatic Fri-
touch him up and win the day, getting fined by the
rounds.” Georgia State Athletic
Davis stayed unbeaten in Commission for missing
his career with a 12th-round weight when he tipped the
stoppage of Gamboa to scales at 136.2 pounds and
win a lightweight title Satur- taking the two extra hours
day night. he needed to make 134
Fighting past the ninth 3/4. He also shoved Gam-
round for the first time, Da- boa at the faceoff, setting
vis (23-0, 22 KOs) showed off a ruckus on the stage,
why his nickname is Tank, though both boxers quickly
releasing a barrage of departed.
punches in the final round Davis’ next fight is unde-
before a left uppercut to cided. Super lightweight
the head ended the fight Gervonta Davis, left, heads to the corner as Yuriorkis Gamboa, right, looks up at referee Jack Reiss champion Vasyl Lom-
at the 1:44 mark when ref- during the WBA secondary lightweight title boxing bout early Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Atlanta. achenko of Ukraine said
eree Jack Reiss called it. Associated Press in April that he wants a
Davis, becoming a two- match, and Davis said last
division champion in his That was my main focus prime and moving up to start of the fifth. month that he’s ready, too.
adopted hometown, going in. Not trying to rush lightweight for the first time. Stacy McKinley, Gamboa’s But a more likely possibil-
dropped Gamboa three it. He gave the 38-year-old assistant trainer, said his ity is Davis returning to 130
times. Touch him up and show the Gamboa a beating in the fighter “had his ankle or his pounds to face Mexico’s
He landed a left hand to people I have skills.” fifth with left uppercuts, but Achilles heel all messed up. Léo Santa Cruz.
knock the veteran down Atlanta rapper Lil Baby per- the Cuban had plenty of They wanted to stop the “I don’t feel like nobody
in the final seconds of the formed alongside Davis as punch resistance. fight and I said, ‘No.’ I told above me,” Davis said.
eighth, bringing fans in the he made his entrance for Reiss called a brief time- him to get locked in and do “I’m the cash cow, I be-
lower bowl at sold-out State the main event. It didn’t out before the start of the the best you can.” lieve, so at 135 or 130, I’m
Farm arena to their feet. take long for Davis to ener- third when Gamboa com- Davis, a southpaw, won At- selling out arenas, putting
“I showed I’m an elite fight- gize the fans, using a dou- plained about an issue lanta’s first world champi- butts in the seats. I don’t
er,” Davis said. ble-jab and a left hand to with his right shoe. His cor- onship fight since Evander think (Lomachenko is) do-
“I’m not trying to rush it and drop Gamboa at the 1:36 ner retied the shoe before Holyfield successfully de- ing that. Line him up. I’m a
get him out of there and mark of the second. the start of the fourth and fended his heavyweight fighter. I’m willing to fight
wind up getting caught. At 25, Davis is entering his taped it heavily before the belts against Vaughn Bean anybody. I’m ready.”q

Chelsea comes back to win 2-1 at Arsenal in Premier League

Associated Press The winner came after
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea Chelsea launched a coun-
scored twice in four min- terattack from the edge of
utes to come from behind its own penalty area, with
and beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Tammy Abraham then al-
Premier League on Sun- lowed to race through un-
day, ruining Mikel Arteta's challenged and playing a
first home match in charge one-two with Willian before
of the north London club. putting the ball through Le-
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd no's legs from close range.
Leno missed an attempt to It leaves Arteta with a point
punch Mason Mount's free from his first two games
kick clear, allowing Jorgin- since being hired as Unai
ho to net in the 83rd min- Emery's full-time successor.
ute and cancel out Pierre- While Arsenal is 12th in
Emerick Aubameyang's the standings, Chelsea
first-half opener. is 11 points ahead in the
Jorginho had been fortu- fourth Champions League
nate to still be on the pitch place after Frank Lam-
after avoiding a second pard's side quickly recov- Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the English
yellow card for pulling ered from a home loss to Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea, at the Emirates Stadium in London,
Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019.
down Matteo Guendouzi. Southampton.q Associated Press