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Gervonta Davis Doubles Down on Retirement Plans After Jake Paul Exhibition

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 8:58 PM ET

Gervonta “Tank” Davis is making it clear: his boxing career is coming to an end. The undefeated WBA lightweight titleholder (30-0-1, 28 KOs) is set to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) in a Netflix-streamed exhibition on Nov. 14 at Kaseya Center. But while the matchup has been billed as entertainment more than legacy, Davis insists it will also serve as his farewell.

“Boxing is dead”

Davis, 30, expressed his growing frustration with the sport in a series of posts Friday on X (formerly Twitter).

“Boxing definitely did a turn,” Davis wrote. “It went from this side to that side, and this sh*t has no loyalty. So why would I care? I move accordingly. Boxing is dead.”

When a fan responded by urging him to retire, Davis bluntly replied:

“I am in, eight weeks.”

Gervonta Davis responds to someone telling him to retire from boxing pic.twitter.com/TgsHNORdag

— IFN (@IfnBoxing) September 26, 2025

A Pattern of Doubt, Now a Final Word?

This isn’t the first time Davis has threatened to walk away. Before his March bout with Lamont Roach Jr., which ended in a controversial majority draw, Davis told fans he would retire by year’s end. Afterward, he softened that stance amid talk of a rematch.

That rematch sputtered through multiple false starts, however, and Davis instead pivoted toward Paul, a decision many observers saw as a sign of disinterest in traditional boxing challenges.

During a recent press tour in New York and Miami to hype the Paul exhibition, Davis admitted:

“I’m not the face of boxing.”

What Comes Next

While exhibitions like Davis vs. Paul often serve as cash-outs for fading stars, Davis remains in his prime as a champion with massive drawing power. His decision to step away raises questions about the future of one of boxing’s most explosive attractions.

Should Davis truly hang up the gloves after Nov. 14, he would retire undefeated in sanctioned bouts, though with the lingering shadow of unresolved rivalries at lightweight and super lightweight.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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