With all due respect to Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, Jake Paul is boxing’s biggest star.
But “The Problem Child’s” next fight won’t actually be a fight — at least not in the official sense — with the Florida Athletic Commission ruling that the upcoming bout between Paul and Gervonta “Tank” Davis will be an exhibition.
“You can’t do a fight like that as a pro fight,’’ the commission’s executive director Timothy Shipman told USA Today Sports. “It’ll be an exhibition fight.’’
The distinction was primarily made due to the weight difference between the two fighters, with Paul having last fought at 199½ pounds and Davis previously weighing in at 133 and three-quarters pounds. The Nov. 14 fight had originally been scheduled to take place in Atlanta before being moved to Miami earlier this week, presumably in an effort to secure sanctioning as a professional fight after the Georgia Athletic Entertainment Commission expressed concerns about its viability.
The distinction between being ruled a professional fight and an exhibition is a significant one, and not just from a perception standpoint. Shipman said that his commission is still reviewing how many rounds it will allow and what size gloves can be used, while the event — which is scheduled to stream on Netflix— may not be available on several sportsbooks due to its exhibition status.
The ruling also means that the outcome of the fight won’t go on either participant’s official record, which could prove significant considering that Jake Paul currently ranks 14th in the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings following his June victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Only rather than fighting for a title or in a contest that could improve his ranking, the Westlake, Ohio, native is now preparing for an exhibition after at least two commissions turned it down as a professional fight.
Paul clearly cares about his image as a boxer — so much so that he has threatened legal action against those who have claimed his fights aren’t legitimate. But while there isn’t any reason to believe that any of his fights have been rigged, the circumstances surrounding the exhibition with Davis only help fuel the perception that these events are more of a sideshow than anything else.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.