By Keith Idec

Gervonta Davis doesn’t expect Ricardo Nunez to justify his confidence Saturday night.

Davis predicted that their fight for his WBA “super” 130-pound crown “probably won’t go past five rounds” during a press conference Thursday in Baltimore. The 24-year-old Davis smiled as Nunez discussed knocking him out in the champion’s first fight in his hometown in six years.

“Both of us got big knockout power,” Davis said. “May the best man win. Hopefully, he ready. I was born ready. So, I’m ready. Let’s get it.”

Panama’s Nunez has won 10 straight fights, nine by knockout, since Barnie Arguelles knocked him out in the second round of their January 2015 fight in Panama City. Nunez also avenged his loss to Arguelles (10-9, 8 KOs), whom he stopped in the second round six months later in Panama City.

“I have a high knockout ratio, so that’s why I’m confident in knocking ‘Tank’ Davis out,” Nunez said, according to a translator. “When you get in the ring, we’re gonna see who’s the best. And my high knockout ratio will prove it Saturday night. Although he’s the champion, I’m here to take the victory. It’s my first time in the United States, but I’m here to win.”

Nevertheless, the 25-year-old Nunez (21-2, 19 KOs) hasn’t fought someone as formidable as Davis since he turned pro in October 2010. Davis (21-0, 20 KOs) doesn’t think his mandatory challenger understands what’s about to happen to him.

“He got a little too much dip on his chip, man,” Davis said. “He trippin’, but he confident. He’s a fighter. He got a lot of knockouts, so we gotta take him serious. Saturday night, jokes aside, it’s gonna be a hell of a night. You know, I can’t wait. He coming to take my spot and, you know, he go up in that house, I got family and daughters and things like that, so I’ll be ready.”

Davis and Nunez will headline a “Showtime Championship Boxing” tripleheader from Royal Farms Arena in downtown Baltimore.

Showtime will air a pair of 10-round lightweight bouts before Davis-Nunez, starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In the network’s opener, Panama’s Jezreel Corrales (23-2, 9 KOs, 1 NC), a former WBA 130-pound champ, is set to meet Memphis’ Ladarius Miller (19-1, 6 KOs). In the co-featured fight, Yuriorkis Gamboa (29-2, 17 KOs), a three-division champion from Cuba, will oppose Puerto Rico’s Roman “Rocky” Martinez (30-3-3, 18 KOs).

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.