Jake Paul will not be fighting Anthony Joshua for now with Gervonta Davis now set to face the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
The influencer looked set to take on British heavyweight Anthony Joshua, with the pair in advanced talks, according to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
But in an astonishing turn of events, the Ring Magazine, which was bought by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh in 2024, reported on Wednesday that the bout fell through due to issues over the network, with AJ exclusively signed to DAZN.
And instead, it has astonishingly been confirmed that Paul will face WBA lightweight world champion Davis, with the bout to be broadcast live on Netflix.
Netflix Turkey had sent the boxing world into a frenzy when they deleted a leaked poster, which suggested the pair would meet on November 15 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
This has now been officially announced by Netflix, although the streaming giant has clarified that the pair will meet on November 14, not one day after, with all other details remaining the same.
It is a stunning showdown which will likely be contested at a catchweight, given the staggering 65lbs weight difference between the pair.
Davis was scheduled to meet Paul before his controversial draw with Lamont Roach in March 2023.
‘Tank’ needed to beat Roach to extend his undefeated 30-0 record, but the result meant an immediate rematch had been ordered.
The pair’s rematch had been pushed back several times, with promoter PBC aiming to host the second bout in August.
But Ring Magazine reported last month that the sequel had been pushed back and was set to take place on August 23 or August 30.
Now, it seems like any second meeting between Davis and Roach is out of the question for now, with the former now coming face-to-face with Paul in a gigantic catchweight bout.
What is Gervonta Davis’ record and why is he a boxing superstar?
Gervonta 'Tank' Davis' Last Five Fights
- Draw (majority decision). Lamont Roach, after 12 rounds at Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, in March 2023
- Win (KO). Frank Martin, after eight rounds at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, in June 2024
- Win (KO). Ryan Garcia, after seven rounds at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, in April 2023
- Win (TKO). Hector Garcia, after nine rounds at Capital One Arena, Washington, in January 2023
- Win (TKO) Rolly Romero, after six rounds at Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, in May 2022
Davis is one of the most recognised names in the sport of boxing, having gone undefeated in all 31 of his professional bouts.
He has 30 wins in the squared circle, with his draw against Roach the only fight he hasn’t had his hand raised in.
‘Tank’ is renowned for his huge knockout power in the ring, with 28 of his pro bouts ending by way of KO.
The 30-year-old from Baltimore, Maryland, has won world titles across three different weight classes.
His fight with Paul promises to be a pay-per-view blockbuster, with Davis undefeated and a huge global boxing superstar.
Why did Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua fall through?
Paul and Joshua was on the table after the ‘Problem Child’ called out the British heavyweight as the pair engaged in verbal sparring in their DMs.
Joshua has yet to compete since losing by brutal KO to Daniel Dubois in September last year.
But it was understood that Paul was a realistic option for the former two-time champion at the back end of this year or early in 2026.
There were several obstacles to overcome in negotiations, including the sanctioning for the fight, with the British Boxing Board of Control deliberating over whether to sanction the bout.
Joshua is also exclusively tied to Matchroom Boxing and DAZN, so it was always unlikely to fight on streaming giant Netflix, which previously broadcast his victory over Mike Tyson.
Despite signs that the bout was in advanced talks, it now appears off the table for now.
The bout could be revisited in 2026, but Joshua will now likely seek a path back to the top of the heavyweight division with priority.
Paul suggested he’s still got his eyes on ‘AJ’ as he said in his announcement of the Davis fight: “Gervonta who has been disrespecting my name for too long.
“His nickname might be Tank, but I’m an FPV drone and I’m about to disable tiny boy. Yes, he’s one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world, but my motto is anyone, anytime, anyplace, against all odds. And I like my odds.
“First, I am going to kill David, then I will go on to slaughter Goliath.”
How has the boxing world reacted to Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis?
Davis’ former rival Ryan Garcia was the first big name to react, tweeting: “I strongly doubt this happens, no way Gervonta accepted 195 pounds.
“Gervonta is already small naturally and you really think he will decide to balloon up to 195 pounds.
“You’ve got to be delusional to think this is going to happen.”
“The Americans’ supposed next rival, Roach added: “Told ya lol. Duck duck, duck, duck.”