Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis was once again trending after his latest in-ring conquest. (photo by Ryan Hafey)

Not everyone was taken aback by the outcome, though.

You can count lightweight contender Michael ‘La Zarza Ali’ Rivera among the underwhelmed from this past weekend’s Showtime Pay-Per-View main event. The unbeaten Dominican was an interested observer for Davis’ eventual sixth-round knockout of mandatory challenger Rolando Romero (14-1, 12KOs) in front of a sold-out and record-breaking crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The spectacular ending didn’t override the fight as a whole, as far as Rivera is concerned.

“I wasn’t impressed by either fighter to be honest,” Rivera told BoxingScene.com. “Rolly isn't a real fighter. He’s a street fighter at best. And Gervonta was getting handled early in the fight.

“It was a good shot by Tank to end the fight. That was impressive and should have been that way.”

Rivera (23-0, 14KOs) is in the hunt to eventually land a shot at Baltimore’s Davis (27-0, 25KOs), who holds a secondary version of the WBA lightweight title. The 24-year-old contender who now lives and trains in Miami is coming off a ten-round win over previously unbeaten Joseph Adorno this past March in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was his second straight fight and victory above the lightweight limit since winning a title eliminator in an eighth round knockout of Spain’s Jon Fernandez last July in Carson, California.

A title shot is hoped for though his options remain limited in holding out exclusively for such an opportunity. Lineal/WBA/IBF/WBO champion George Kambosos Jr. (20-0, 10KOs) faces WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney (27-0, 15KOs) for the undisputed championship this weekend in Melbourne, Australia. Haney is favored to prevail but also bound to a one-way rematch clause in the event Kambosos loses and opts to run it back.

Rivera—who is expected to return to the ring this summer—isn’t banking on Davis to grant him the favor of an immediate fight, which means looking into a final eliminator to guarantee his place in line.

“I am ready to fight any of the top champs now,” insists Rivera, who is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz and fights under adviser Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner. “I know most won’t fight me. So, we’re prepared to enforce mandatory status and fight whoever it takes to be champ.

“I would love to fight Tank or any champ immediately if not sooner! I am the best 135-pounder in the world. Time will tell, you will see.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox