One of the most unlikely yet highly anticipated boxing matchups of the year is officially on the calendar. Jake Paul will face undefeated knockout artist Gervonta “Tank” Davis on November 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, both camps confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
The bout, which will be promoted by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and streamed globally on Netflix, still does not have a finalized contracted weight or number of rounds. Negotiations on those details are ongoing, given the massive difference in natural size between the fighters.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs), who campaigns as a cruiserweight and tipped the scales at 199.4 pounds for his last fight against Julio César Chávez Jr., is ranked No. 14 by the WBA. Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs), meanwhile, weighed 133.8 pounds in his most recent outing against Lamont Roach Jr. in March, which ended in a shocking majority draw.
The size disparity recalls the 2021 exhibition between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather, when Logan weighed in at nearly 190 pounds while Mayweather came in at 155. That spectacle generated over $80 million in revenue, and Paul-Davis has the potential to reach even more fans with Netflix’s global streaming platform.
Talks for Paul-Davis have been in the works since early 2024. Initially, the plan was to revisit negotiations after Davis defended his WBA lightweight title against Roach. But following the draw — and rumors of an immediate rematch in August that never materialized — attention shifted back toward the crossover blockbuster with Paul.
There was also speculation that Paul pivoted to Davis after talks collapsed for a fight with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. But Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidarian clarified to ESPN that a Joshua bout was “never planned to take place in 2025” and remains a future possibility.
Davis, 30, remains one of boxing’s biggest ticket sellers. His 2023 super-fight with Ryan Garcia at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas generated $22.8 million at the gate and sold 1.2 million pay-per-views, ranking as the fifth-highest gate in U.S. boxing history. Despite never competing above 140 pounds, Davis’ reputation as a knockout artist and his long-standing social media feud with Paul have made this matchup an irresistible storyline.
Paul, once dismissed as a YouTuber-turned-boxer, has evolved into a legitimate contender in the cruiserweight division. Following victories over the likes of Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz, and most recently Chávez Jr., Paul has set his sights on cultural crossover fights while keeping his long-term goal of becoming a world champion on hold.
For Paul, this fight is another chance to validate his transition into professional boxing against one of the sport’s most feared finishers. For Davis, it’s an opportunity to silence Paul and end years of online trash talk, all while bringing his explosive brand to an even larger audience.
Still, questions loom: Will the weight disparity prove too much to overcome for Davis? Can Paul’s size and power offset Davis’ elite skill and speed? And will Netflix’s global platform turn this into boxing’s next record-breaking event?
One thing is certain — on November 14th in Atlanta, the boxing world will be watching.
