By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Gervonta Davis recognized Jose Pedraza’s plan quickly Saturday night.

“I think he was trying to press me out, to see if I can go into deep water,” Davis said during a post-fight press conference early Sunday morning. “We showed him what sharks do.”

The 22-year-old Davis mauled Pedraza in the first significant fight of the brash Baltimore boxer’s professional career, which began in February 2013. In showing he’s more than just a precocious prospect, the powerful southpaw proved to be too fast and too strong for Puerto Rico’s Pedraza.

Davis was ahead by the same score, 59-55, on all three scorecards before he stopped Pedraza in the seventh round of their scheduled 12-rounder for the IBF world super featherweight championship at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Davis drilled Pedraza with a right hand that left the former champion under a bottom rope in the seventh round. Pedraza reached his feet, only to have referee Ricky Gonzalez determine that he was too hurt to continue at the 2:36 mark of the seventh.

His impressive victory over Pedraza made Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) the youngest current world champion in boxing.

“There have been a lot of people going against us, saying that I lacked in experience,” Davis said. “You know, and I showed [Saturday night] that I’m a dog. And I’m gonna continue to be a dog. I’m gonna continue to listen to my team and we’re gonna take over boxing.”

Despite punishing Pedraza with body and head shots for much of their fight, Davis wasn’t surprised Pedraza (22-1, 12 KOs) lasted into the seventh round.

“He’s a champion,” Davis said, “a tough champion, so I knew he would last.”

A confident Davis also knew Pedraza couldn’t last all 12 rounds, not even when Pedraza was hitting him in the fifth and sixth rounds and seemingly getting back into the fight.

“I knew I had him in like the fourth round,” Davis said. “When he was catching me in the fifth and sixth, I was letting him. I was baiting him, you know, and then I took advantage.”

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