It seems that Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis has left boxing’s biggest names all feeling the same way.
It was announced this week that Paul, a YouTuber who made his professional boxing debut just five years ago, will contest an exhibition bout with WBA lightweight champion Davis on November 14.
The fight comes almost exactly a year after Paul locked horns with Mike Tyson in a monumental clash live on Netflix, the streaming giant that will also show his fight with ‘Tank’.
Although Davis is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world right now, he is 65lbs lighter and eight inches shorter than Paul.
Davis was initially planning to fight Paul before his debatable draw with Lamont Roach in March.
All ‘Tank’ needed to do was beat Roach, but the controversial result meant an immediate rematch was expected to take place.
After months of back-and-forth rumours and pushed back dates, it seemed like Davis and Roach would meet again in August.
However, Davis has since sensed a more lucrative opportunity in fighting Paul.
Farcical, ridiculous, and ludicrous have been some of the most common words used so far to describe the matchup, which is part of a packed end-of-year schedule, between the two American boxing stars.
talkSPORT has heard from the sport’s most prominent personalities on the fight, and here’s what they said.
How the boxing world reacted to Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis
Dave Allen
British heavyweight Allen believes exhibition bouts should be saved purely for retired fighters, and ‘The White Rhino’ predicts a demolition job for Davis.
“I’m not a fan of exhibitions at all, to be honest,” Allen explained.
“You’ve got Gervonta Davis doing it, the best lightweight in the world and a pound-for-pound top ten, why is he wasting his time?
“Gervonta Davis will flatten Jake Paul if they are at it properly. I know there is a 65lbs weight difference, but I think he beats Jake Paul.
“Gervonta Davis should be getting in a rematch with Lamont Roach, and Jake Paul should be fighting a decent cruiserweight to see how good he can be.
“They are both in it for the money. If that is what they are in it for, then fair enough. But I think it’s farcical and I won’t be watching.”
Simon Jordan
Just like his controversial take on the classic (and rematch) between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, talkSPORT’s Jordan has zero interest in a bout between Paul and Davis.
“It’s an exhibition, isn’t it?” he said.
Gervonta 'Tank' Davis' Last Five Fights
- Draw (majority decision). Lamont Roach, after 12 rounds at Barclays Centre, Brooklyn, in March 2025
- 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
“I won’t be watching it at all, it is a load of old fanny. But you have people’s attention, and it’s all about attention.
“Gervonta Davis is a world-class operator; he shouldn’t want to be anywhere near Jake Paul.
“But the rewards are so significant for him because that kid still brings along a YouTube viewing.
“There is still an audience to watch him, even if he is fighting a midget.”
David Adeleye
Fresh off his bloody war with Filip Hrgovic, London’s heavy-hitter Adeleye was shocked when he found out about Paul vs Davis.
“They spoke about it for a while, but we didn’t think it would actually happen,” he said.
“I’m a bit shocked to be honest. For it to come to fruition, yeah, it doesn’t make sense.
“It’s someone who is 6ft 6ins, the other one is like 5ft 6ins, there is a massive weight gap… It’s just mad, really.”
Spencer Oliver
“I think Gervonta Davis beats him – he’s one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world at lightweight,” Oliver said.
“But it’s a bit of a weird one, isn’t it? You’ve got a guy of 5’5″, boxing a guy of six-foot plus at cruiserweight – it’s just all a little bit odd.
“If they’re going to do an exhibition, perhaps Jake should have picked someone more his size.
“His last fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was at cruiserweight; Chavez Jr. was a former world champion at middleweight himself, and that sort of made sense.
“It was a good win for Jake Paul. He’d gone out there, beat an ex-world champion, got a little bit of credibility, and you go, ‘Right, now you’re heading in the right direction…’
“That was a move in the right direction, but Gervonta Davis is just a little bit of a freak show for me.
“Davis is an active fighter, like I say, still a pound-for-pound star, very heavy-handed as well.
“He should have the movement – forget the size – to be able to slip inside and take Jake Paul out. That’s the reality of it.”