Jake Paul Is Fighting Gervonta Davis - Here Are The Details

Forbes

18 hours ago

Let nothing surprise you when it comes to professional boxing.
Jake Paul is set to take on lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in an exhibition match on November 15 in Atlanta. No, you're not still asleep. This is a real thing. The two men traded barbs in the past, but that happens often in boxing with anyone of prominence.
This one has gone beyond chatter as the event is set to take place at the State Farm Arena and it will be streamed live on Netflix.
The exhibition matchup is already creating controversy and has some perplexed, given both fighters were headed down very different paths.
Davis was seemingly headed for a rematch with Lamont Roach for his lightweight title following their controversial draw in March. Paul was in discussions for a potential mega-fight against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in 2026, and the latter's promoter Eddie Hearn called Paul the frontrunner to be his AJ's next opponent.
Instead, both men pivoted, resulting in a crossover bout that is destined to make money, draw eyeballs while proving almost nothing.
Industry insiders, such as the Ring's Mike Coppinger expect the fight to follow a format similar to Logan Paul vs. Floyd Mayweather in 2021, with larger gloves and strict weight caps. When Mayweather fought Logan, the limits were set at 160 and 190 pounds respectively.
Roach was not shocked to see Davis opt out of the opportunity to fight him in a rematch. In fact, he says he warned everyone ahead of time that Davis would duck him.
Aside from Roach, Davis is also walking away from a potential unification fight with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson. That's also a fight many boxing fans would love to see.
Davis is a career 135-pounder while Paul's most recent outing came at 200 pounds, making an agreed rule set likely for this exhibition to take place.
The decision has already stirred controversy. Davis is drawing heat for passing on the Roach rematch in favor of a lucrative exhibition. Some critics see it as a questionable move for an active champion, while others note the mainstream exposure could boost boxing's visibility overall.
According to Boxing called Davis a coward for his decision.
I felt Roach defeated Davis in their first fight back in March, so a rematch made the most sense. However, this is boxing and rarely does the sensible trump the nonsensical.
For Paul, the fight maintains his streak of high-profile spectacles. After talks with Joshua collapsed due to network disagreements, he landed another headline-making opportunity with Netflix carrying the broadcast.
Paul's drawing power is unquestioned, but questions still linger about his willingness to test himself in the traditional pro ranks–despite his claims.
I would have preferred to see Paul vs. Joshua in an actual boxing match. Exhibition boxing matches are usually not very competitive and at this stage of Paul's career, I'd much rather see him raising his level against other fighters close to his weight class in actual pro bouts.
However, there is no denying the amount of attention this event will bring and that's never bad for the sport–at least in a vacuum.
Hopefully, this is the last big-money distraction from what should be Paul's proving ground as a cruiserweight, light heavyweight or even heavyweight pro.