The exhibition boxing match between Jake Paul and WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, scheduled for November 14 at Kaseya Center in Miami, has been canceled, Most Valuable Promotions announced. 

According to ESPN, the decision followed days after Davis was accused in a civil lawsuit filed by ex-girlfriend Courtney Rossel of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“Our team has worked closely with all parties to navigate this situation responsibly,” Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement. “While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan still remains for Jake Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025.”

The highly anticipated matchup had drawn significant attention due to the substantial size difference between the fighters. Paul, who weighed 200 pounds for his last bout, would have faced Davis, who competes at 135 pounds. The 65-pound weight gap, along with Paul’s 6-foot-1 frame compared to Davis’ 5-foot-5, gave Paul a roughly 9-inch reach advantage.

Despite the physical differences, both fighters command substantial audience interest. Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) ranks as one of boxing’s biggest stars, while Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) leverages his social media presence of 28 million Instagram followers and 21 million YouTube subscribers to drive viewership.

The bout was slated to headline a fight card on Netflix, continuing the streaming platform’s investment in live sports content. Paul’s previous exhibition against Mike Tyson on Netflix drew 65 million peak streams and averaged 108 million global viewers, according to Netflix metrics.

Replacement Search Unsuccessful

After news of the lawsuit, Most Valuable Promotions pursued replacement opponents to maintain the November 14 event. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou declined an offer from Paul’s team, while the promotion reportedly also contacted Ryan Garcia, Andre Ward, and Nate Diaz without success.

Paul entered the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings at No. 14 in July following his unanimous decision victory over former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. The ranking makes the YouTuber-turned-boxer eligible to challenge for a world title, potentially against WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez or WBC cruiserweight belt holder Badou Jack.

Fans who purchased tickets to the canceled event via Ticketmaster will receive refunds, the promotion confirms.

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