Jake Paul and Gervonta “Tank” Davis finally came face to face in New York City last night, setting the stage for their November 14 exhibition bout with a press conference that delivered insults, surprises, and official confirmation of fight rules.
A sizeable crowd of boxing fans packed into the Palladium Theater in Times Square to witness the pair’s first meeting. Within moments of proceedings kicking off, Paul branded Davis as “stupid as f***”, instantly igniting a verbal sparring match that escalated throughout the night.
The lightweight champion from Baltimore was not quick to take the bait, but soon joined in as the back-and-forth grew heated. Paul joked that Davis “can’t read” like his former promoter Floyd Mayweather and added that he would need to aim below his knees to land punches. In response, Tank threatened both his opponent and Paul’s coach J’Leon Love as tempers flared.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer continued to needle his rival, calling himself Davis’ “karmic retribution” and even suggesting he would fight with an ankle monitor on. Paul invited “clowns” to the stage before invoking Davis’ history of legal issues, further stoking the tension.
When it came time for the official face-off, the two only exchanged light shoulder touches — but the physical contrast was stark. At 6’2”, Paul towered over the 5’5” Davis, a visual that highlighted the main talking point of the fight: size.
Over on social media, people had a lot to say about the stark contrast. “The height difference will give Tank all kinds of body shot advantages,” one Instagram user wrote. Another added: “That’s a really big size difference.”
“Tank measured every inch – from the feet to the wrist and then Jake moving to his other side. Tank is going to sleep Jake,” one person wrote, while another asked: “How is this sanctioned??”
Poking fun at Tank on social media, Paul later captioned a video of their face off: “Bring your kid to work day”.
Before questions from the media could get underway, Most Valuable Promotions boss Nakisa Bidarian confirmed the official rules.
“There will be a victor because the fighters have agreed and the commission has approved a maximum weight of 195lb for this exhibition,” Bidarian said, per BBC Sport. “When Tank and Jake enter the squared circle to go to battle, they will be wearing 12oz gloves.
“Sitting ringside will be three commission-approved world-class professional judges that will score every round to ensure there’s a decisive outcome for the fight if it goes the distance.
“And both men are enrolled in the highest level of testing with Usada (US Anti-Doping Agency).”
The fight will be contested over 10 three-minute rounds at a 195lbs catchweight. The result will not go on either fighter’s professional record, but unlike other high-profile exhibitions, there will be a definitive winner if it goes the distance.
However, Tank appeared caught off guard by the weight announcement: “Y’all said it was 190[lbs],” he said, to which Bidarian replied: “The fight is 195lbs as you know.” Tank once again reiterated that he was told it was 190.
Originally set for Atlanta, the fight was moved to Miami’s Kaseya Center after Paul’s promotional company withdrew its application for a rule waiver in Georgia. The decision followed strong public criticism from Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission chairman Rick Thompson.
“This is the dumbest **** I’ve ever heard,’’ Thompson told USA Today. “It’s a money grabber, and I’m not OK with that.”
He later added: “They probably evaluated a situation, knew that their weight differences were too much.’’
The size gap remains the biggest talking point. Tank, a WBA lightweight world champion, has never competed above 140lbs (63.5kg). Paul, by contrast, has weighed as much as 227lbs for a heavyweight fight with Mike Tyson.
Davis typically fights in 8oz gloves, while Paul is accustomed to 10oz. For this bout, both will wear 12oz.
Paul, 28, enters with a 12-1 professional record, while 30-year-old Davis holds 30 wins and one draw. Both hold pro licences, but their exhibition will not affect those records.
Paul made clear he is chasing a knockout: “There’s a lot of holes in his defence that a lot of people haven’t exposed before. I haven’t got a knockout in a long time, so I’m itching. I’m just excited to be able to deliver that for the fans and have another most viral knockout ever.”
Davis countered with confidence in his speed and power: “Every time I fight, it’s fireworks. I’m much quicker than him. He’s much stronger and much bigger, but we all know that it’s harder for taller fighters to fight a shorter one.
“He’s decent and he’s going to hold up for a couple of round, but once it gets hot in there you know how things play out.”
With the insults flying, the rules confirmed, and the venue locked in, all eyes now turn to Miami. Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis promises spectacle, controversy, and no shortage of drama when the bell rings on November 14.
Featured image credit: Instagram/@jakepaul (Screenshot)
