The buzz around Jake Paul‘s upcoming exhibition against WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis has been deafening, but not everyone is impressed.
Former world champion Amir Khan has openly criticized the matchup, describing it as unfair and damaging to boxing’s credibility.
Speaking out on the weight disparity between the fighters, Khan didn’t mince words.
“It’s a really bad mismatch, and whoever the promoter who has agreed for Gervonta to fight, and the promoter for Jake Paul to fight this little man, it’s wrong man. It’s wrong, it’s like torture. Going in there and hurting someone is just not fair on Davis,” he said.
The comments come amid swirling rumors that Davis could earn between $150 million and $200 million for the November 14 bout in Atlanta, a figure first floated on social media by GRM Daily.
The speculation has already been met with skepticism across the boxing world, including from Mike Tyson‘s son, Amir J. Tyson, who scoffed at the idea and called fans gullible for believing it.
Khan questions Davis’ motivation
For Khan, the fight has less to do with competition and more to do with money. “Maybe Davis just wants to cash up and walk away from the sport. I think they’re making boxing a joke, really,” he said, suggesting that financial motives are overshadowing the sporting integrity of the matchup.
Davis, 29, is no stranger to big paydays. He earned over $40 million for his blockbuster clash with Ryan Garcia and has made multimillion-dollar purses in recent bouts against Frank Martin and Lamont Roach Jr. But the rumored nine-figure guarantee for fighting Paul has left many unconvinced.
A fight built for spectacle
Paul, who earned around $40 million himself in his exhibition against Mike Tyson last year, has turned novelty fights into blockbuster events, leveraging his massive following and Netflix’s global reach. For Davis, the bout represents not just an unusual test against a much bigger opponent but also a chance to capitalize on the crossover audience Paul brings.
Whether the payday comes close to the rumored $200 million or not, one thing is clear: this fight is as much about business as it is about boxing. And for critics like Amir Khan, that might be the problem.
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