Why Did Gervonta Davis Include Rehydration Clause in Fight Against Ryan Garcia?

Why Did Gervonta Davis Include Rehydration Clause in Fight Against Ryan Garcia?

Joel Reyes
updated at April 22, 2023 at 5:31 AM
  • Gervonta Davis will face bitter rival Ryan Garcia in a catchweight bout on April 22
  • Both Davis and Garcia will need to weigh 136 pounds or less during the weigh-in
  • A 10-pound rehydration clause was placed by Davis' team for Garcia in the contract

The blockbuster showdown between Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia is just days away.

Fans will flock to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, this weekend to witness two of boxing’s biggest stars lock horns.

The much-anticipated fight nearly didn’t push through though, after Davis’ camp adjusted the stipulations for the bout just before signing the contract.

Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis, Boxing
Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia face off during a news conference at The Beverly Hilton on March 9, 2023, in Beverly Hills, California. Image: Sye Williams.
Source: Getty Images

Garcia revealed in an interview on the DAZN Boxing Show that Davis' team insisted on a rehydration clause to be put in place for their fight to go ahead.

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Sports Brief looks into this stipulation that has become an intriguing subplot for this mega-fight.

Davis-Garcia: what is catchweight?

The two boxers agreed on a catchweight for this bout as they fight in different divisions. Davis makes his living in the lightweight division (135 pounds), while Garcia competes in the super-lightweight division (140 pounds).

According to 'King Ryan,' he and Davis agreed on a catchweight of 138 pounds for their fight. The latter’s team changed that catchweight a couple of weeks later, making the limit 136 pounds instead.

Davis' team introduces rehydration clause

Garcia agreed to that stipulation and thought the deal was finally sealed. Davis’ team threw another surprise, inserting a rehydration clause for Garcia to follow.

Usually, in boxing, once the fighter makes the weight limit during the weigh-in, his focus switches to the fight. That isn’t the case for Garcia, who must watch his intake before the fight, with Davis’ team introducing a 10-pound rehydration clause.

That means if Garcia weighs 136 pounds during the weigh-in, he needs to enter the fight weighing 146 pounds or less. If he goes over the 146-pound limit, the fight is off.

Hopkins believes 'Tank' is worried

Boxing legend, Bernard Hopkins shared his take on Davis’ decision to introduce a rehydration clause for his fight against Garcia, saying it is a sign of deep worry on Davis and his management’s part, per Boxing News 24.

According to Hopkins, Davis’ team doesn’t want him to lose to Garcia, so they have made it more difficult for 'King Ryan' to get the win.

Davis has every reason to be worried, as Garcia is unbeaten in 23 fights with 19 knockouts. Tank is fighting back against critics of the rehydration clause, saying he did nothing wrong considering his opponent’s physical dimensions.

Davis said Garcia is the bigger fighter and he said he isn’t dumb to allow his rival to blow back up to 150 or 160 pounds around the time they fight.

Is Fury dodging Usyk?

Sports Brief recently reported on Oleksandr Usyk accusing Tyson Fury of dodging him.

Fury claimed the Ukrainian wanted a rematch clause in their fight to make more money.

Usyk, on the other hand, believes the Gypsy King is trying to duck out of a fight with him.

Authors
Joel Reyes photo
Joel Reyes
Joel Reyes is a sports editor at Sportsbrief.com with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. He has eight years of work experience in sports writing.
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