Gervonta Davis wants to prove what he believes in his heart, that he is the best lightweight in boxing.

When asked after his points victory over Isaac Cruz which opponent he’d be excited to fight in 2022, Davis didn’t mention anyone by name. It was clear, though, that he referred to George Kambosos Jr., Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia.

“Any one of them top guys,” Davis said. “I feel as though I’m the best at 135. You know, I think I’m the best at, you know, what I do. I feel as though none of them guys can beat me. And time will tell.”

As much as the fighter within Davis might want to box Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs), the newly crowned IBF, WBA “super,” WBC “franchise” and WBO champ, Haney (27-0, 15 KOs), who owns the WBC world championship, or Garcia (21-0, 18 KOs), a former WBC interim champ, his promoters clarified that those events would have to make sense from financial perspectives before they would seriously consider those fights for Davis on Showtime Pay-Per-View.

“I would love to see Tank fight the biggest names that are out there, whoever continues to prove themselves,” Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said. “But the guys that you say – not you, personally – but they say who are the best guys out there, like for instance, I think Isaac Cruz is better than some of these guys that you’re talking about. You know, just because he doesn’t have a big name, just because he doesn’t have a big name, how do you think he would’ve did against a Ryan Garcia, for an example, tonight?”

The durable, rugged Cruz (22-2-1, 15 KOs) gave Davis the most difficult fight of his eight-year pro career. He landed numerous flush punches that Davis took well, dealt well with Davis’ vaunted power, became the first fighter to take Davis 12 rounds and ended the powerful southpaw’s 16-fight knockout streak.

Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) boxed well, fought through an injury to his left hand and won by scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113. The Baltimore native also drew an announced crowd of 15,850 to Staples Center, where Davis proved yet again that he is one of boxing’s biggest draws in the United States.

Ellerbe hopes Mayweather Promotions’ franchise fighter can share the ring at some point in 2022 with one of the opponents that hardcore fight fans want most.

“But to answer your question, whatever the fans want, that’s what we’re gonna give ‘em,” Ellerbe said. “But we’re gonna do that on our terms, and I’m gonna continue to say that, on our terms. We’re not gonna go out there, again, and overpay a fighter just because y’all say he’s a big-name fighter. It don’t work like that. The business don’t work like that. We’re not in the business of f----’ off money, like some of these other promoters.”

Ellerbe emphasized that Davis can continue fighting challengers comparable to Cruz for his secondary WBA lightweight title because he has established himself as a top ticket-seller and a pay-per-view “A” side.

“Well, any fight that Tank fights in is a big fight. … The guys that you guys say are the big fights, they’re not big fights,” Ellerbe said. “Tank Davis is the cash cow in the division and he showed you again [against Cruz], you know, come out west and, you know, another sellout. And again, there’s levels to what he’s doing. But again, we’re gonna continue to fight the top guys out there and everyone just have to keep on leveling up.”

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