Jake Paul may need to look for a new opponent after his most-rumored next rival reportedly decided to hang up his gloves.
Paul recently defeated former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a gruelling ten-round affair that earned him a ranking in the WBA top 15. It was a controversial placement, which he stoked by facing off with WBA champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez following their event in California.
Despite now being eligible to fight Ramirez for a belt and entering talks for an Anthony Joshua fight, he was expected to face a totally different opponent when he returns in November or December. But amid a string of issues outside of the ring, it looks as though those plans may be changing.
Gervonta Davis’ retirement could cost Jake Paul his next fight
On Tuesday evening, veteran boxing insider Rick Glaser reported on X that Gervonta Davis is retiring from boxing at the age of just 30-years-old. The Baltimore native has been due to rematch Lamont Roach, who held him to a draw earlier this year, but their planned August bout is supposedly now off.
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“From several very reliable sources, Baltimore’s finest Tank Davis is retiring,” Glaser wrote in. “Won’t fight again is what he’s telling those close to him. Tank’s supposedly fed up with Boxing. Tank’s retired till his money runs low.”
There had been widespread reports that Davis was going to face Jake Paul in an exhibition bout later this year. The fight would have placed career-lightweight Davis against a man who last year fought at heavyweight in a bizarre openweight contest, likely to have landed on Netflix.
Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis have been reported to fight in exhibition bout
Many boxing insiders have claimed throughout the year that Davis was heading towards having a bizarre exhibition with Paul towards the end of 2025. He has been pushing for a bout with Anthony Joshua, who is an active former heavyweight champion, but insists that must take place next year.
As recently as back in March when Davis was held to a draw by Lamont Roach, Paul claims the bout was ‘on the one-yard line’. “That was on the one yard as well, but he has to rematch Lamont Roach,” Paul said at the time. “He wants to get that back. Then we will be back in discussions with Mr. Gervonta.”
Now, he may have to look elsewhere for an opponent in November, particularly if he refuses to face Joshua until next year. Paul is also keen to fight Badou Jack next year for the WBC cruiserweight world title.