Editor’s note: This story was originally published in November and updated after Saturday’s news about the contract being signed by both boxers for April 15.

At long last, after all the trash-talk exchanges, perhaps the biggest fight in all of boxing is here. Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia, two of the biggest stars in the sport, will finally meet on April 15 in Las Vegas. The fight will be contested at a 136-pound catchweight.

On Thursday, Davis pleaded guilty to four counts stemming from a hit-and-run crash in November 2020 that left four people injured. With sentencing scheduled for May 5, any potential punishment won’t interfere with the fight.

Davis is also set to be arraigned on Feb. 23 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in connection with a Dec. 27 misdemeanor domestic violence charge of battery causing bodily harm. Davis pleaded not guilty after allegedly hitting the mother of his 1-year-old daughter with a “closed-hand type slap,” according to police, who said she suffered a small abrasion on the inside of her upper lip. She asked the court to dismiss charges in an affidavit filed Jan. 24.

So, while we are still two months away from the two stepping inside the ring, it’s not too early to dive into some of the biggest questions about a fight that will truly transcend the sport.

Rate the fight: 1-10

There’s no title on the line and this isn’t to decide supremacy in a weight class, but this is a genuine superfight in a sport short on them, so I’ll give it a 9.

This fight has everything. Two concussive punchers with incredible hand speed and, perhaps most of all, no genuine B side. Both fighters are stars who will bring in loads of younger fans. They each have their unique followings, and while one can argue Errol Spence Jr.-Terence Crawford and Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk mean more in terms of boxing prestige, Tank-Garcia will cross over to the mainstream in ways those two matchups can’t.

This shapes up as an action fight between two undefeated boxers that will land the winner squarely on the pound-for-pound list.

Who has the edge?

Davis will undoubtedly be the betting favorite and with good reason, but this feels like a 50-50 fight when all is considered.

Both boxers are largely untested and will each be taking a massive step up in class. Davis’ best win remains a 2017 seventh-round KO of Jose Pedraza to capture his only world title, a 130-pound belt. Garcia’s signature win is a seventh-round TKO of Luke Campbell in January 2021. And in that victory, Garcia showed his resolve by surviving his first career knockdown.

Both boxers have exceptionally quick hands, but Garcia’s hand speed is the best in the sport. He’s also far bigger — and stronger — than Davis: Garcia stands at 5-foot-11 while Davis is 5-foot-5.

Still, Davis is the better boxer. A big key to the fight will surely be Davis’ southpaw jab vs. Garcia’s best punch, the left hook.

What’s at stake in this fight?

The bout will take place at a 136-pound catchweight, and both boxers have competed at both 135 and 140 pounds, giving them flexibility going forward.

With Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko in talks to square off for Haney’s undisputed 135-pound championship on May 20, the four titles could be off the table for both Garcia and Davis in 2023. At 140 pounds, the titles are now in the hands of Josh Taylor, Alberto Puello and Regis Prograis, while the IBF title will be contested between Subriel Matias and Jeremias Ponce on Feb. 25.

But really, Davis-Garcia is much bigger than belts. The winner will increase his star power exponentially and should be able to chart his path going forward. But short of a brutal KO, this feels like a fight in which both boxers will raise their stock by participating in the event. Simply making a fight this big is a win, after all.

ESPN Boxing