Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis fight at risk after major update

Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis are scheduled to meet in November, but the fight could now be at risk of being cancelled

DAZN
Sam Brookes
Wednesday 17 September 2025 11:00 EDT
Comments
(AFP/Getty)

The exhibition fight between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis is in jeopardy after MVP Promotions halted their attempts to get the fight sanctioned in Georgia.

It was announced last month that Paul and Davis will face each other at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on November 14.

However, Rick Thompson, chairman of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission (GAEC), told USA Today that MVP Promotions do not have the necessary event permits and rule waivers for the fight to take place in Georgia under the state’s governance.

“I believe it's in the public's interest to know that because they've been promoting something they should not have been,” Thompson explained, as quoted by the BBC.

Subscribe to DAZN now to watch over 185 fights a year

Gervonta Davis during his most-recent fight, on 1 March
Gervonta Davis during his most-recent fight, on 1 March (Getty Images)

Pre-sale tickets were still on sale on Wednesday, despite Thompson’s claim that the fight will not be going ahead in Georgia.

The rules for the contest are still yet to be confirmed amid a huge size difference between Paul and Davis.

Paul’s last fight was at the cruiserweight limit of 200lbs, while Davis has never fought above 140lbs in his professional career.

Davis has agreed to face Paul rather than defending his lightweight world title, but the exhibition clash is now in doubt.

Thompson believes the agreed weight is likely to be the main issue that needs to clarified, with the GAEC set to vote on the matter on Thursday.

“They probably evaluated a situation - knew that their weight differences were too much,” Thompson added.

A news conference for the fight is due to take place in New York on Wednesday evening, followed by another one in Atlanta on Thursday.

This could give greater clarity on whether the controversial fight will take place or not.


DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight.

There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.

For pricing in your country, more information and to sign up, click here.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in