Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis: Fans Outraged After Exhibition Rules Confirmed (2025)

Fans are ready to move on from Jake Paul’s upcoming bout with Gervonta Davis due to the ruleset.

There has been a lot of negativity surrounding Paul’s next bout ever since it was initially announced.

Critics immediately pointed to the huge height and weight difference between ‘The Problem Child’ and the boxing star that he has set his sights on.

However, it isn’t just some of the fans who took issue with the matchup seemingly being a physical mismatch despite their respective skill levels.

Paul’s clash with Gervonta Davis will now take place in Florida after receiving pushback from Georgia, which has led to some more details being revealed.

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Fans react to Florida Athletic Commission confirming that Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis will take place as an exhibition

Speaking to USA TODAY Sports, the executive director of the Florida Athletic Commission, Timothy Shipman, confirmed that Jake Paul will face Gervonta Davis in an exhibition match.

“You can’t do a fight like that as a pro fight,” Shipman said. “It’ll be an exhibition fight.’’

Similarly to the concerning location move, he states that the main reason for this is the significant weight discrepancy between the two opponents.

An exhibition is defined by Florida statutes as “a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts engagement in which persons participating show or display their skill without necessarily striving to win using strikes and blows to the head or other full-contact maneuvers.”

While it always seemed like this was going to be the case once the bout was announced, this recent confirmation caused some fans to draw a line under the contest once and for all.

‘Yup. A fake fight and absolutely no one asked for. Will be a complete joke on an event.’

‘So a glorified pillow fight.’

‘Don’t watch it boxing fans and if it’s PPV certainly don’t buy it. Glorified spar, bigger gloves and no one can win. Both will hug at the end and walk away with millions, while your pockets will be lighter, don’t do it.’

‘So it’s official, they won’t be trying to hurt and knock each other out. What’s the point in this circus?’

‘This fight is dumb…’

‘Take another advantage off Tank then? Yeah, why not. 80lbs and now pillow gloves. Will be making him wear lead boots next.’

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Jake Paul’s promotion had suggested wearing larger gloves to counter the weight discrepancy

Some of the replies listed above made reference to the fight taking place in “larger gloves” as another knock on the legitimacy of the bout.

While it appears that this quote was incorrectly attached to the Florida Athletic Commission’s Timothy Shipman, it was suggested by Most Valuable Promotions.

The article from USA TODAY Sports reports that MVP were prepared to accept the fight being an exhibition in the original location of Georgia and that they would take extra safety precautions to have the weight restrictions lifted.

These included wearing larger 12-ounce gloves and both fighters undergoing anti-doping tests via the US Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA.