Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis’ exhibition is an issue, but it proves there should be a change to influencer boxing, claims a former world champion.
The boxing world is still reeling from the announcement that Netflix will stage an exhibition fight between the WBA lightweight champion and ‘The Problem Child’ Paul on November 14th.
Fighters have been critical of the fight due to the vast weight difference between the natural 135 lb fighter, Davis, and the 200 lb cruiserweight in ‘El Gallo’, with one heavyweight contender blasting it as ‘farcical’.
Before the announcement, the influencer had been attempting to secure a fight with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, with Eddie Hearn claiming discussions had taken place.
Former world champion says influencer boxing needs one thing following Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis fight announcement
While the 28-year-old star insists he still wants to test himself against the heavyweight star, though, Hearn’s immediate reaction to the Joshua collapse suggests he and Joshua’s team never ‘wanted’ the fight to happen.
As criticism has spread around the contest, former world champion Shawn Porter has weighed in on the conversation with an idea for influencer boxing matches, whilst voicing his issues with the bout.
Speaking on The PorterWay podcast, the ex-world welterweight titlist had a proposition that he has advocated for in the influencer world.
Porter said: “I said create an influencer title and let those guys fight over there in the influencer world.
“They can live in the world and the life of I’m a world champion without having to do something like this.”
There are already titles in the world of influencer boxing under the Misfits promotional banner, which is headed up by YouTuber KSI.
However, the Ohio boxer has remained adamant that he wants to be considered as a ‘real boxer’, and partly due to a long-running feud with KSI, the pair have not fought since the inception of crossover boxing.
But like many professionals, ‘Showtime’ has a problem with the weight difference for the bout.
“Now, the issue for this that I have is you have a legitimate 135 lb champion fighter getting in the ring with a 190 lb guy or whatever it is that Jake Paul is at,” he said.
“Tank maybe walks around at 150. We know he’s not walking around at 170. We could maybe say 160, but we know without a shadow of a doubt 150, in shape 145.
“Jake, I get it. You need somebody that’s really got some eyeballs on him in order for you to really take this thing seriously.”
Jake Paul once revealed the ruleset for a Gervonta Davis exhibition fight in May
Weight and rules of the surprise contest have been debated by fans since the official announcement from Paul himself.
Although in an interview with Ariel Helwani earlier this year, he may have already given fans the information.
He said: “It would be an exhibition: 10 three-minute rounds, no restrictions, just the fact we couldn’t actually get it professionally sanctioned.”
“195,” he said when questioned on the weight.
His bout with ‘Tank’ Davis was rumoured to be confirmed if the 30-0-1 professional defeated Lamont Roach.
But the bout ended in a controversial majority decision draw, which led to Paul facing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr instead.