In a surprising turn of events, Netflix and fight promoter Most Valuable Promotions have announced that the highly anticipated boxing match between Jake Paul and Gervonta “Tank” Davis, originally set for Friday, November 14, is no longer going forward. The event was scheduled to take place at Miami’s Kaseya Center and was set to be livestreamed worldwide on Netflix, adding to the platform's growing portfolio of sporting events.
Despite the cancellation, MVP has confirmed plans to stage a headline fight for Jake Paul, the digital influencer turned professional boxer, sometime in 2025 on Netflix. This follows the success of Paul’s previous fight against Mike Tyson, which was streamed on Netflix and attracted an astonishing average minute audience (AMA) of 108 million live viewers globally, making it the most-streamed sports event on the platform to date.
The announcement regarding the cancellation of the Paul-Davis fight comes in the wake of serious legal issues facing Gervonta Davis. Recently, he was sued in Miami-Dade County by his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossel, who accused him of multiple charges including battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. This civil lawsuit has raised significant concerns and led to MVP's decision to halt the fight.
Calvin Ford, the trainer for Gervonta Davis, spoke out in defense of the boxer, stating to USA Today that the lawsuit was “nonsense.” He added, “He’s doing great. Everything’s good. That’s why we’re trying to find out what’s going on.” It’s worth noting that Davis had previously faced accusations in another domestic violence case, which was dropped last August. Currently, he is on probation after pleading guilty to a hit-and-run incident that occurred in 2020, as reported by CBS News.
Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, released a statement emphasizing the organization’s commitment to handling the situation with care. “Our team has worked closely with all parties to navigate this situation responsibly,” Bidarian stated. “While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan still remains for Jake Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025. Details regarding a new date, location, Jake’s opponent, and additional bouts will be shared as soon as they are finalized. We thank Netflix, the Kaseya Center, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for their partnership.”
Fans who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster for the Paul vs. Davis fight can expect an automatic refund through their original point of purchase. This process will be completed within 14-21 days, according to the announcement made by MVP.
The cancellation of this match has left many boxing fans disappointed, but the focus now shifts to the future of Jake Paul and what lies ahead for him in 2025.
