Gervonta Davis has branded Artur Beterbiev ‘ass’ in a surprising remark on social media.
The American lightweight star likely watched on as the Russian became the undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight world champion by beating Dmitry Bivol in a close fight last weekend.
In the aftermath of such a triumph, Beterbiev and his team have of course been the focus of renewed media attention.
One of the Russian’s coaches John Scully, a former light-heavyweight world title challenger himself, gave a fresh interview this week.
Speaking to StreetStarNorbe, the American trainer was asked about various current affairs in boxing today.
When asked whether he sees Davis being elected as a Hall of Fame fighter if he retired from the sport today, Scully replied: “No.
“I mean, probably in this era and the way they do things, probably.
“But for me the Hall of Fame has always been the elite of the elites.
“You’re talking Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali.
“I don’t want to name names but there are guys in the Hall of Fame who absolutely positively there’s no way on Earth they should be in the Hall of Fame.”
Tank did not take kindly to this answer.
Davis fired back in a comment on social media “That big strong ass goofy that he trains is not a Hall of Fame fighter and he’s ass.”
In truth, most boxing fans would concur that Beterbiev is most certainly not ‘ass’.
In fact, following his win over Bivol he is now ranked as the number four pound-for-pound best boxer on the planet.
Bivol also got boosted up two places from seventh to fifth for his heroics while Canelo suffered the effects of the Russians’ rise as he fell two places from fourth to sixth.
The Mexican superstar was the pound-for-pound king from November 2019 to May 2022 when he fell to defeat against Bivol.
Since then, he has gradually been slipping down the rankings while he is no longer the undisputed super-middleweight champion after relinquishing his IBF strap earlier this year.
Elsewhere on the Ring Magazine list, WBC and lineal super-flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez saw his ranking dip from fifth to seventh as a result of Beterbiev and Bivol’s movements while the rest of the top 10 is unchanged.
Davis sits in the number eight position as things stand.