IBF champ Gervonta Davis headlines Mayweather-McGregor undercard

Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe stood tall in his navy blue pinstripe suit Thursday and smiled as he talked about Aug. 26.

“Vegas is going to be the place to be,” Ellerbe said during Floyd Mayweather’s prefight media day at Mayweather Boxing Club.

“The icing on the cake is Mayweather versus McGregor.”

Mayweather Promotions unveiled the Aug. 26 boxing undercard Thursday morning, and Ellerbe appeared satisfied with the fights that will precede the Mayweather-Conor McGregor megafight at T-Mobile Arena.

The undercard includes two title fights.

Gervonta Davis (18-0, 17 knockouts) will defend his IBF junior lightweight championship against Francisco Fonseca (19-0-1, 13 KOs) in the co-featured bout.

Las Vegas residents Badou Jack and Andrew Tabiti also are part of the Showtime pay-per-view card, which begins at 6 p.m. Jack (21-1-2, 12 KOs) will fight WBA light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (30-1-3, 16 KOs), and Tabiti (14-0, 12 KOs) will meet Steven Cunningham (29-8-1, 13 KOs).

Davis, Jack and Tabiti worked out Thursday at Mayweather Boxing Club before Mayweather arrived, but most of the attention focused on Davis, a 22-year-old with star potential.

“I definitely have to go out there and put on a good show,” said Davis, the youngest American world titleholder. “They’re calling me the next star of boxing. I feel I have to (dominate).”

The 5-foot-6-inch southpaw danced around the ring for about 15 minutes before taking a seat on the ringside steps as the attention shifted to Mayweather.

“I’m ready,” Davis said. “I’m the co-main event.”

Mayweather on lighter gloves

Representatives for Mayweather and McGregor have filed official requests with the Nevada Athletic Commission to wear 8-ounce gloves in their junior middleweight fight.

Fights at 147 pounds or heavier must be fought with 10-ounce gloves, per NAC regulations. Eight-ounce gloves are used for fights at 135 pounds and lighter. Professional MMA fighters typically use 4-ounce gloves.

NAC executive director Bob Bennett said the commission would add the request to the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, but declined comment on how he thought the vote would go.

“It doesn’t matter. I can get the job done with whatever,” Mayweather said. “Whether it’s 10 ounces or 8 ounces, I get can the job done. For years, I’ve been getting the job done. I’m 49-0 for a reason.

“Hopefully (the commission) can grant the wish that I want, and they can grant the wish that Conor McGregor wants.”

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Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.