Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis has reportedly been called off – but a new opponent has already been lined up to step in.
The bout is still officially slated for November 14, but major changes now appear likely.
Gervonta Davis is expected to be pulled from his scheduled clash with Jake Paul, and promoters have already begun lining up a replacement.
Paul was due to face the WBA lightweight champion at the Kaseya Center in Miami, marking his return to the ring on November 14. But less than two weeks out, Davis has been hit with serious accusations from his ex-partner, including battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The allegations have sparked widespread calls for Davis to be removed from the card, with several alternative opponents linked to the fight.
Reports now suggest Davis will indeed be withdrawn, and the event is likely to be pushed back while organisers secure a new name for Paul to face. Most Valuable Promotions initially said they were “gathering information and reviewing the details,” but Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger claims the decision is leaning towards dropping Davis and rescheduling the event to December 12 or 19.
A number of high-profile fighters are reportedly in the mix, including UFC stars Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz, as well as boxers Ryan Garcia and Terence Crawford. But former super middleweight and light heavyweight champion Andre Ward is believed to be the leading candidate.
Ward, who turns 42 in February, hasn’t fought since his controversial 2017 stoppage win over Sergey Kovalev, but retired undefeated with a 32-0 record (16 KOs). He previously hinted at interest in fighting Paul after the YouTuber’s victory over Mike Tyson, potentially making negotiations straightforward.
If Ward doesn’t accept, Ngannou is said to be the next preferred option following his headline-grabbing bouts with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua – dropping Fury in late 2023 before losing on points, and being knocked out by Joshua in March 2024.
