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Jake Paul gets offer from IBF world champion to replace Gervonta Davis fight

Originally posted on HITC | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Nov 3, 2025 8:18 AM ET

Jake Paul has added an IBF world champion to his list of possible replacements for Gervonta Davis.

The fight between Paul and ‘Tank’ is in doubt after Davis became involved in another legal issue. With the event scheduled for November 14, and fight week just around the corner, Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix may need to line up a new opponent soon if it does get called off.

Both Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz have reportedly been contacted about stepping in, but nothing has been finalised yet. This would be Paul’s second appearance with Netflix, following his match against Mike Tyson that pulled in more than 106 million viewers and even caused technical issues due to the massive audience.

Jake Paul given option to face current World Champion in place of Gervonta Davis

A new option has come up for the Netflix super-fight, with IBF super-lightweight champion Richardson Hitchins reaching out directly to Jake Paul. The 28-year-old from New York is also on the smaller side, but his lower profile makes him an unlikely choice.

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Hitchins posted a screenshot to his Instagram story, saying: “F— it I need to eat. Jake Paul call me I’m here.” The photo included a message he had sent to Paul that read, “Fight me, I’m ready right now.”

Hitchins has headlined smaller events in the past but doesn’t have the same draw as Diaz or Ngannou, or even other options like Ryan Garcia and Terence Crawford. With just 136,000 followers on Instagram, he’s not expected to be high on Most Valuable Promotions’ list.

Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis in doubt as Most Valuable Promotions release statement

It’s worth noting that this is a civil case, not a criminal trial, and Davis has yet to make any public comments on the allegations. But the timing couldn’t be worse with the fight just weeks away.

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The IBF super-lightweight champion shared the message with his 136,000 Instagram followers, but there’s no indication he’s being seriously considered for the spot. Hitchins doesn’t have anywhere near the profile of other names linked to the bout, like Nate Diaz or Francis Ngannou.

And despite holding a world title, Hitchins lacks the mainstream appeal of fighters like Nate Diaz or Ryan Garcia. The fight needs someone who can draw viewers.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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