Who could have predicted that the decision Floyd Mayweather made one day in 2015 would change the boxing world forever? Signing a young, promising boxer like Gervonta Davis, who had less than 10 fights at the time, was certainly a risky gamble. But it turned out to be one of Mayweather’s best investments.
The meteoric rise of the Baltimore southpaw to stardom is undeniable, and Mayweather played a key role in that journey. However, in recent years, their relationship has deteriorated. Since their split, the two have traded subtle online jabs at each other, hinting at a rift that goes beyond business.
Boxing Pro shared a TikTok video on X with the caption: “Gervonta Tank Davis simply followed Floyd Mayweather’s lead #TBE #TankPaul”. The video showed a young Davis on Mayweather’s private jet, sitting next to his mentor, listening intently. In the video, Mayweather gave him some advice: “If you do well, they have something to say. If you do badly, they have something to say. So do what makes you happy. Because you see this jet? You see this private jet we’re flying in? I got it because I did what I wanted.”
For Money Mayweather, the key to all his success was living life and running his career his way. As he told the young Davis: “I made over a billion dollars, you know why? Because I did what I wanted to do. I will always tell Tank: ‘Do what you want to do’.”
Tank Davis faces a wave of heavy criticism
Now, Gervonta Davis is under the microscope from boxing purists for accepting a bizarre matchup against Jake Paul, with a staggering 30kg weight difference. If the 30-0 boxer really follows Mayweather’s advice, this suggests that he wants to retire undefeated, move on to exhibitions and maximize his earnings. However, the danger is that, unlike Mayweather, who left an untouchable legacy, Gervonta Davis risks leaving with unfinished business. By choosing this path, he could avoid high-risk matchups with Shakur Stevenson or even a rematch with Lamont Roach. The decision has drawn heavy criticism. And now, a veteran journalist has gone so far as to condemn the spectacle, calling it a heartbreaking symbol of the collapse of American boxing.
“In general, Jake Paul’s fights are s***. Everyone knows the truth. If they were the same size, Gervonta would knock him out quite easily. But they are not. There is a huge difference. […] Again, who has more boxing skill? Gervonta by a long shot,” said veteran journalist Luke Thomas.
To put it in context, Gervonta Davis was already a rising star at the age of 18, after winning the National Golden Gloves Championship in 2012, while “The Problem Child” was at that time gaining followers on Vine, accumulating 5.3 million followers and more than 2 billion views by 2015, with no connection to boxing. Although Paul has improved in recent years, a fight with Gervonta Davis does not help him in any way to advance in his quest for a world title. On the contrary, it seems more like an attempt to make money than a quest for greatness. For Thomas, that is why it represents the collapse of American boxing.
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