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Ryan Garcia Slams 'Delusional' Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis Update

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Binoy | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 3:21 PM ET

The boxing world did a double take when news broke that Gervonta “Tank” Davis, one of the sport’s pound-for-pound elites, would be stepping into the ring for an exhibition against Jake Paul. On paper, it sounds wild but then again, with the Paul brothers, shocking headlines have almost become the norm.

Fans are still trying to wrap their heads around the announcement, debating whether this is brilliant business or a bizarre mismatch. But not everyone is buying into the hype. In fact, one man who knows Davis all too well his former rival Ryan Garcia — is calling the whole thing nonsense, dismissing the matchup as nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

Garcia and Davis, who went toe-to-toe back in 2023, don’t exactly have the friendliest relationship. So, when the news about this exhibition broke, it didn’t take long for Garcia to chime in and share his unfiltered thoughts on the matchup.

He said, “I strongly doubt this happens, no way gervonta accepted 195 pounds. Gervonta is already small naturally and you really think he will decide to ballon up to 195 pounds. You got to be delusional to think this is going to happen.”

I strongly doubt this happens, no way gervonta accepted 195 pounds

Gervonta is already small naturally and you really think he will decide to ballon up to 195 pounds

You got to be delusional to think this is going to happen https://t.co/EEUdz1ez23
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) August 20, 2025

Garcia didn’t hold back, saying that even if Jake doesn’t show up at his usual 195 pounds, the size difference is still way too extreme. “Tank’s only 5’4 and last fought at 133 — it’s crazy to think he stands any real chance against Jake,” Garcia said.

Jake Paul Secures a Big Name Fight Once Again

Jake Paul has made a habit of chasing the biggest names he can find just last year he lined up a fight with Mike Tyson that had the whole boxing world stunned.

Now, stepping in with Gervonta Davis feels like another huge leap, at least on paper. Davis isn’t just a big name, he’s one of the sharpest punchers in the sport, with pinpoint accuracy and a left hand that can end a fight in a heartbeat.

But here’s the thing — weight classes exist for a reason. Davis will be giving up eight inches in height, nine inches in reach, and around 65 pounds compared to Paul’s last weigh-in.

That’s a mountain to climb. Paul will look massive next to him. Still, Davis has the chance to do what his mentor Floyd Mayweather did against Logan Paul — show that skill can cancel out size. Even so, Ryan Garcia admits that if this fight really happens, his money’s on the much bigger Paul.

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

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