Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis: An Unexpected Clash in the Boxing World
The news shook the boxing world: Jake Paul, a well-known YouTuber turned boxer, will face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis. The fight is scheduled for Friday, November 14th at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta and will be broadcast live on Netflix. This announcement took many by surprise, as Paul had been in talks for a possible showdown with former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. For his part, Davis was rumored to have a rematch with Lamont Roach Jr., after their majority draw in March. Finally, Paul and Davis reached an agreement for a fight between two of the biggest names in boxing, which for now is labeled as an exhibition.Why is this fight happening?
In August 2021, Paul revealed a list of opponents he wanted to face. At that time, Paul had a 3-0 record in his boxing career, with victories over AnEsonGib, Nate Robinson, and Ben Askren. The list included Tyron Woodley, Canelo Álvarez, UFC fighters Nate and Nick Diaz, Kamaru Usman and Conor McGregor, boxers “Timmy Fury” (Tommy Fury), Gervonta Davis, and his older brother, Logan, who now competes in the WWE. Since then, he has fought three people from that list (Nate Diaz, Fury, and Woodley, twice). Davis will be the fourth. In 2021, many of these names seemed unattainable, considering Paul’s lack of experience, but as his stature in the sport has grown, Paul has become a name that many boxers want to face due to the tremendous visibility and financial benefit that comes with it. Davis has shown interest in fighting Paul for a long time, and both have thrown indirect messages at each other on social media. Earlier this year, the two sides negotiated a fight, but when Davis tied with Roach in March, the plans were suspended. Paul continued to fight against Julio César Chávez Jr. while Davis considered his options. Finally, Davis set aside the rematch with Roach and finalized the deal with Paul.What’s behind this fight?
Both parties understand that this fight will be a great cultural event. Despite the criticism, Paul is one of the biggest attractions in boxing, and Davis has proven to be a box office draw every time he fights. Although Paul is significantly bigger than Davis, the latter believes it will be an easy fight. Paul and his company, Most Valuable Promotions, will organize the event that will undoubtedly reach a massive audience when it is broadcast globally on Netflix. Since McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. made millions with their exhibition fight in 2017, the boxing world has seen the absurd financial benefit of these types of fights. Are they taking advantage of the situation? Absolutely.I am a professional boxer. For that I must fight: ¡for a prize!
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Is this a real fight?
Isn’t Gervonta Davis a champion at 135 pounds, and Jake Paul a 200-pound cruiserweight? Defining “real” is complex. Will Paul and Davis try to knock each other out when the bell rings? Yes. That will be real. Will it be a sanctioned boxing match? Probably not. There will be a big weight difference when they meet on fight night. When asked if the fight would be an exhibition, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said that the contracted weight and the number of rounds had not yet been agreed upon. All of this is still being negotiated. The weight difference will be the main reason why the fight may end up being an exhibition, but that will be determined once the Georgia State Athletic Commission gets involved with the rules. However, stranger things have happened.What are the rules of an exhibition and how does it differ from a professional fight?
The rules for an exhibition are much more flexible than for a sanctioned professional boxing match. The number and duration of rounds, the size of gloves, the referee, and other aspects can be negotiated. A winner is not declared in an exhibition fight, nor does it count towards a boxer’s professional record. Exhibition fights are purely for entertainment.Is this like when Logan Paul fought Floyd Mayweather Jr.?
Yes. But Jake is a more skilled boxer than Logan, and Davis is still in his prime, while Mayweather was retired when he fought the social media influencer. As in Mayweather-Logan Paul, there will be a significant weight disparity between the fighters. Logan came into that fight at 189.5 pounds. Mayweather weighed 155 pounds, and it didn’t really seem like Mayweather was trying to hurt Logan when they met. There is certainly more of a bad blood element between Jake and Davis, considering that a loss for “Tank” would be a big blow to his professional career. Paul will want to impress if he plans to be taken seriously as a boxer in the future. Being knocked out by the much smaller Davis would significantly damage the idea of Jake fighting Joshua next year.What’s up with Anthony Joshua?
Wasn’t Jake Paul supposed to fight Anthony Joshua?
Contents
Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis: An Unexpected Clash in the Boxing WorldWhy is this fight happening?What’s behind this fight?Is this a real fight?What are the rules of an exhibition and how does it differ from a professional fight?Is this like when Logan Paul fought Floyd Mayweather Jr.?What’s up with Anthony Joshua?What’s up with the Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr. rematch?Was Gervonta Davis arrested last month?
If Paul were knocked out by Davis in November, those plans could change. “If ‘Tank’ knocks out Jake, I don’t know what the demand will be to see the potential of Joshua knocking out Jake,” Bidarian said. “Of course, there is always a potential impact on the Joshua fight depending on the outcome of the Paul fight with Davis.” Paul addressed the possibility of facing Joshua after Davis in a statement.
“First, I’m going to kill David [Davis], then I’m going to massacre Goliath [Joshua], and you’re all going to watch me do it,” Paul said.
