Gervonta Davis Removed from Pound for Pound Rankings
Gervonta Davis, a prominent figure in the boxing world, has been removed from the esteemed Pound for Pound Top 50 rankings by World Boxing News (WBN). This decision comes on the heels of his acceptance to face Jake Paul, a former YouTuber turned professional boxer, in a Netflix exhibition scheduled for November 14, which has been labeled as a ‘historic crossover’ by the event organizers.
Criteria for Ranking and Recent Matches
Despite holding a steady position at number ten in the WBN rankings, Davis’s participation in this non-competitive match has led to his disqualification from the list as WBN has strict criteria that require active, sanctioned bouts within a twelve-month timeframe following a draw.
Davis last stepped into the ring on March 1, when he faced Lamont Roach, resulting in a draw. Concerns were raised regarding his ranking, and WBN officials indicated that he would have been downgraded if he didn’t engage in a rematch with Roach soon. However, with his focus now shifted towards this exhibition and not defending his lightweight or super lightweight titles, WBN unanimously decided it was necessary to remove him from their rankings.
Criticism and Comparisons
In a surprising twist, Jake Paul, with a professional record of 12 wins and one loss and recently victorious against Mike Tyson, will take the ring against Davis. Critics quickly weighed in, characterizing this matchup as purely a money-making venture, questioning Davis’s decision to pursue exhibition fights too early in his career, drawing comparisons to Floyd Mayweather‘s infamous path.
Impact on Rankings and Future Prospects
In his absence, Devin Haney has stepped up to reclaim his spot in the Top Ten after moving up to welterweight and preparing for a significant WBO title defense against Brian Norman Jr. Davis’s exit from the prestigious rankings is viewed as a setback for his burgeoning legacy in the sport. Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk retains the top position in the Pound for Pound rankings, with Terence Crawford posing a potential threat to Usyk’s reign should he succeed in becoming a five-weight champion against Canelo Alvarez on September 14.
Insights from Phil Jay
Phil Jay, a seasoned boxing journalist with over 15 years at the forefront of the global fight scene as the Editor-in-Chief of WBN, continues to provide insights and reports on the evolving landscape of professional boxing.
