Jake Paul and Gervonta “Tank” Davis are set for an exhibition on November 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta—a left-field matchup that arrives just as Davis seemed headed toward a Lamont Roach Jr. rematch after last year’s controversial draw. Salvador Rodriguez (ESPN Knockout) says the WBA will review Tank’s lightweight title status, with options ranging from stripping him to installing an interim belt for Roach.
On the money front, Boxing News 24 reports Davis’ estimated purse at $40 million for the Paul bout - a massive jump against Tank’s last disclosed payday of $15 million for the Ryan Garcia fight in 2023. Belts might be in flux, but the paycheck explains why this detour makes business sense.
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The physical math is stark. As James Hicken (DAZN) notes, Paul is a natural cruiserweight and even touched heavyweight for the Mike Tyson event, weighing close to 230 lbs. Davis, the WBA lightweight champion, fights at 135 lbs, creating a potential ~65 lb gap. Paul brings no titles; Davis has captured three titles across two divisions, underscoring the pure crossover nature of this exhibition.
If the WBA does strip him, the sport’s carousel keeps turning. Boxing News 24 adds that the money “won’t mean anything” compared to Tank’s ability to reclaim the WBA 135-lb title later, or to aim at straps held by Raymond Muratalla or Shakur Stevenson. For now, the headline is simple: an exhibition with outsized stakes—financially—and ripple effects that could reshape lightweight title traffic this fall.
Image Credit: Marca