Fight Night:  Preparing for Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. “King” Ryan Garcia on Listen In With KNN

By John Luke ChaparoBoxing, Floyd Mayweather, Maryland Terrapins

On this special episode of “Listen In With KNN” sports talk radio show/podcast presented by FOX Sports Radio, award-winning broadcast host Kelsey Nicole Nelson welcomed special guest Leonard Ellerbe, a Washington, D.C. native and well-known boxing promoter who serves as the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. Ellerbe has been involved in the sport for over 40 years, starting out as an amateur boxer before becoming a personal trainer for boxing great Floyd”Money”  Mayweather. He later became a top lead promoter for some of the biggest events in boxing history, including fights with Oscar De la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. Since 2007, Ellerby has been the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and has added a list of reputable fighters to the company.

Nelson discussed a range of topics, starting with the upcoming boxing match taking place tonight between Gervonta “Tank” Davis and “King” Ryan Garcia. Nelson mentioned that the fight is the biggest of the year in boxing.The action will take place on Showtime pay per view on April 22nd. 

The duo kicked off the convo with synergy as both Nelson and Ellerbe are proud graduates of the University of Maryland. While speaking to Ellerbe about the greatness of Terps, Nelson pointed out the Len Bias jersey framed behind Ellerbe in his D.C. home. Both Nelson and Ellerbe expressed their admiration for the late basketball legend. Nelson believes that Len Bias was one of the best basketball players to “ever do it”  and expresses sadness over the tragedy that cut his career short and always leaves folks asking “What if?”

The conversation then moves to the recent NCAA March Madness tournament, collegiate basketball and the University of Maryland teams’ recent success in the NCAA tournament. Ellerbe expresses pride in the Lady Terps team and singles out Angel Reese as a standout player who is paving the way for the future generation. He believes that Reese is a talented player with a great personality and will be the face of women’s basketball in the future. “I’m very proud of what Angel Reese has been able to do.” said Ellerbe, “She’s killing it, and she’s definitely paving the way for the generation kind of behind her. I love everything about her, her personality, her game is off the charts.”

Both Nelson and Ellerbe discussed the impact that Angel Reese has had on women’s basketball. Ellerbe expressed his pride in Reese and the way she is paving the way for the generation behind her. Both Nelson and Ellerbe admire her personality and the skill she brings to the game, and believe that she is going all the way and will be the face of women’s basketball. In talking about Reese, Ellerbe says “She’s going all the way. And that’s what women’s basketball needs. An outspoken person like her who’s super talented, who’s a genuine young lady. I think she’s going to be the face. I think she’s going to be the face.”

The conversation also touched on the judgment that Black women in sports face, particularly in regards to Reese’s recent celebration after a game that caused much controversy on social media. While some criticized her, others, including Reese’s main competitor Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, defended her actions as part of sportsmanship and the competitive nature of the game. The conversation highlighted the unfair judgment that women in sports, particularly Black women, face, and the need for change in the way they are perceived.

Despite the challenges, the conversation remained optimistic about the growth of women’s basketball. They noted the recent increase in viewership and the success of teams like Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks. Women’s basketball is on the rise, and people are finally starting to take notice. Overall, they celebrated the accomplishments of Angel Reese and the exciting future of women’s basketball. They believe that Reese is part of a new generation of talented, outspoken young women who will continue to push the boundaries and make a significant impact on the sport. The conversation also emphasized the importance of supporting and empowering women in sports, particularly those facing unfair judgment and criticism. Black women should be able to be accepted authentically. 

Transitioning back to Ellerbe’s story, Ellerbe discussed his upbringing in Northeast, D.C. and how it has transformed him into the man he is today. He mentioned that he came back to town to do promotion for this fight and shared that it is great to be back in the area. Growing up in the Northeast area was challenging, Ellerbe shared especially during childhood, but he learned so much from his parents, who were very strict on him and his brother. His mother was particularly protective of her boys, and it taught Leonard a lot, especially as he grew older and looked around at his friends in the neighborhood who were either dead or in jail. “Growing up in the Northeast area, it was definitely challenging, especially early on during childhood.” Ellerbe noted about his upbringing. ”But I learned so much, I guess, from my parents because my parents were very strict on me and my brother. And it taught me so much because especially early on, I was like, My mom was so mean, but she was just very protective of her boys, and she didn’t want us to get out there in that world where everything was going crazy”

Leonard credits his mother and father for having a tremendous impact on who he is today, as they taught him the importance of being respectful to people, how vital education is in life, and the importance of being humble. He believes that these lessons are crucial to getting out of one’s upbringing and preparing for life. Reflecting back, the city of D.C. has changed a lot since Leonard was last here. However, he is excited to be back in the area keeping  busy promoting the upcoming fight. Despite the changes, Leonard is grateful for the lessons he learned growing up in the city and believes that they have prepared him for success.

Tying in Ellerbe’s background to the relationship he built with a young budding Floyd Mayweather Jr. Ellerbe shared the sacrifices he made to become a successful promoter.With, D.C. roots, he was inspired by boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Marvin Haver, and Roger Mayweather. He pursued a boxing career of his own and learned important lessons about discipline and responsibility. In 1996, Ellerbe moved to Las Vegas and connected with Floyd Mayweather Jr. through his uncles Roger and Jeff Mayweather. He was impressed with Floyd’s dedication and work ethic, and the two men built a bond based on their mutual love of hard work. He made many sacrifices to help build Floyd’s career, working long hours and giving up his personal life. Despite the difficulties, Ellerbe’s gamble paid off, and he is now a successful promoter.

Nelson commended Ellerbe for his hard work and hustle, which she attributes to his upbringing in the DMV area. She noted that Ellerbe has always been working, even when he visits the West Coast where people are more laid back. When talking about moving to Vegas and seeing the difference in how the people are there, Ellerbe said “And that was actually the first thing that I noticed when I went out there is that I was like, I was like, Jeez, the people out here are lazy.” Ellerbe shared that growing up, he had to rely on the bus or metro to get around since he didn’t have a car. This experience humbled him and taught him to make a way for himself. 

In relation to growing up in the area and making a way for himself through boxing, Nelson then asked Ellerbe about his early days working with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the various jobs he had to do to make things run smoothly, including driving, security, personal training, and taking care of business matters. Ellerbe says it was just him and one other person at the time, and he did whatever was necessary to help Floyd succeed. He said that Floyd was impressed by his work ethic and commitment, and they built a strong bond as a result.

Ellerbe goes on to say that he gradually learned the business side of boxing and observed the two main players in the industry at the time, Don King and Bob Arum. He learned what not to do by watching their mistakes and when Floyd’s contract expired, he took it upon himself to figure out how to make money for them. Ellerbe saw two older men as their competition, and he knew he could outwork them. They began building their own internal team and eventually built an empire, with Floyd becoming a millionaire.

Nelson remarks that not many people become billionaires, and Ellerbe said they are changing the game. Nelson noted that there must be a lot of trust between Ellerbe and Floyd, and Ellerbe says that Floyd trusted him to make money for him. They talk about the early beginnings and the  inception of Mayweather Promotions in 2007 and their first world champion, the Las Vegas-born Ishe Smith, while Mickey Bey picked up a lightweight title in 2014. Ellerbe said that it was an incredible moment and he still gets emotional when he thinks about it. Nelson praised Ellerbe’s hard work and dedication as Ellerbe discussed some of the challenges he faced and the importance of building trust and relationships in the industry.

Nelson acknowledged that the journey to success is not easy and invites live listeners to ask questions. Loyal listener Chris Pompey asked, “How much has UFC affected pro boxing in terms of viewership and young and up and coming boxers into the sport?” Ellerbe responded by saying that boxing and UFC are able to coexist because they have two different fan bases. Boxing and UFC cater to different crowds, but there is some crossover. Ellerbe emphasized that there is enough room for both sports, and everyone can “eat” at the table.

The conversation then shifted to the upcoming fight featuring five-time three-division world champion, Gervonta Davis, and  hard-hitting sensation Ryan Garcia. Nelson shared her experience of being at the last sold-out Tank fight in D.C. at Capital One Arena. Ellerbe described the upcoming fight as a tremendous matchup between two young, undefeated boxers in their prime. He added that it is rare to see boxers willing to risk it all in the early stages of their careers. Ellerbe expresses his pride in Tank’s achievements so far and said the young boxer  is locked in and doing everything he is supposed to do. Ellerbe believes that Tank will show the world why he is the best at what he does and continue to beat opponents one by one.

Nelson then asks Ellerbe about the next generation of young boxers and how the current generation is inspiring them. Ellerbe mentions Jalil “Major” Hackett, a young fighter from the D.C. area who is signed to Mayweather Promotions and will be fighting on the card as well. Ellerbe describes Hackett as a future world champion and emphasized how refreshing it is to see someone whose parents have raised them the right way. Ellerbe believes that Hackett’s experience of being in camp with Tank for the last five and a half weeks will be a great experience for him and will prepare him for future big fights.

Referencing a live viewers question, Nelson asked Ellerbe about the future of boxing and the challenges facing the sport due to the use of supplements and other enhancement products. Ellerbe responded that the use of PEDs has no place in sports as a whole, including boxing. He emphasized the importance of stringent drug testing, especially for elite fighters, to ensure that the fight is fair and free from cheating. “There’s no place for any of that stuff in sports as a whole. And I think that it’s rampant, believe it or not, in boxing. A lot of people are cheating. A lot of people are cheating. But one thing about us, we believe in the testing. And that is something that’s essential. Any fighter that I’m dealing with, especially the elite guys, we always want to implement stringent drug testing” said Ellerbe on PED’s.

Looking ahead, Nelson then asked Ellerbe about the future of women’s boxing. He expressed his excitement for the direction the sport is going in. He mentions his close relationship with Claressa Shields, who he considers the face of women’s boxing, and applauds her accomplishments as a multiple title winner in different weight classes and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He acknowledges that women’s boxing is still growing and building its fan base but is happy to see the sport elevating itself over the last few years.

Nelson then shifted the conversation to the topic of influencers and people with status, such as Jake Paul, getting into boxing. She asked Ellerbe if he thinks it makes a mockery of the sport or if it still keeps its respect. Ellerbe responds that he doesn’t have a problem with it personally and that he respects anyone who puts their mind to something and executes it. He noted that people like Jake Paul are only at the amateur level and are still learning and developing certain skill sets. He adds that there is only a certain level that those people can go to and that they cannot make a mockery out of the sport because they cannot go so far. Nelson brings up Ellerbe’s previous success in making Floyd Mayweather a crossover sensation and mentions his appearance on Dancing with the Stars in 2007. Ellerbe acknowledged his role alongside his teams in Mayweather’s career tactics and gives credit to Mayweather for his hard work and dedication to the sport.

You can follow Ellerbe on Instagram, Twitter and you can listen to the full interview below.

 

John Luke Chaparo