Jake Paul is closing in to strike Julio Chavez Jr.'s face at the Honda Center in Anaheim California on June 29th, 2025. IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Jake Paul Reveals Major Stakes For Winning, Losing Gervonta Davis Fight

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 5:07 PM ET

At first glance, it might be difficult to see what Jake Paul has to lose when he fights against Gervonta "Tank" Davis, which will take place on November 14 in Atlanta, Georgia.

For one, while the fine details still need to be ironed out, it seems likely that this will be an exhibition bout, which means a loss won't appear on Paul's or Davis' professional records (even if they get knocked out).

Additionally, there's the fact that Davis is a champion, one of the most recognized figures in the sweet science right now, and is one of the most skilled pound-for-pound fighters in the sport when he's on his game.

Not to mention that both men are making multiple millions of dollars for getting into the ring against each other. And this fight being broadcast on Netflix means that both men will up their profiles considerably, thus setting the stage for even more lucrative fights in the future.

However, there are also clear ways where Paul can come out looking like a real loser.

Jake Paul Explains Stakes For Winning, Losing Gervonta 'Tank' Davis Fight

The biggest criticism to stem from this fight is that Paul is much bigger than Davis. In fact, he weighed in at about 65 pounds heavier (200 pounds) than Davis did (135 pounds) in their most recent fights. Given how important weight classes are to boxing, there's no doubt that losing to someone that much smaller could be a bad look for Paul, despite the skill and experience advantage Davis has.

Plus, Paul is one of the most hated people in sports, and countless "fans" around the world want to see him get beaten. And Paul alluded to this when breaking down this fight's stakes in an August 22 video on his YouTube account.

"I've never fought a professional boxer this experienced, and he's never fought someone my size," Paul said. "He's 30 years old, I'm 28 years old, we're in our prime.

"If I win, I just beat one of boxing's greatest, and pulled off the impossible. If he wins, he gives you all what you want to see, and sends me back to YouTube," Paul added. "But if he loses — oh, if he loses — that whole little image of toughness and bada**ness goes out all the window. All from the little hands of a YouTuber."

While Paul isn't necessarily saying that he's going to be done with boxing if he loses to Davis, him saying he'll be going back to YouTube (which he never left, as evidenced by this video) is enough to raise some eyebrows.

This article first appeared on KO on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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