An old acquaintance managed to draw a new rise out of Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
The unbeaten WBA 135lbs titlist appeared overcome with boredom and disinterest during the two-city press tour to hype up his novelty exhibition match with Jake Paul. His demeanor changed, however, when online streamer and influencer Adin Ross stepped to the mic.
The end result was a suggested seven-figure bet between Davis and Paul, or so suggested their on-stage handshake agreement.
Ross had the first question from the crowd during Tuesday’s press conference at Kaseya Center, home to the NBA’s Miami Heat and the hosting venue for their November 14 Netflix headliner. The moment immediately drew a smile and a laugh from Davis, as it was well documented that Ross and Paul are friends and even arrived together at the venue.
However, the first question wasn’t for the social media star-turned-contender-and-promoter, but instead for Davis.
“Gervonta, you know I fuck with you,” stated Ross. “I fuck with you heavy, Gervonta but I want to side bet you. I got Jake winning.”
The statement took Davis by surprise, as he was already under the impression such a bet was in place.
It was then revealed by Davis – after asked by Ross - that the two have a $200,000 wager on the line for the scheduled ten-round contest, which will be fought with 12 oz. gloves at a maximum weight of 195lbs. That’s when the tone of press conference took a very different – and far more light-hearted, even if competitive – turn.
“Let’s make it two-fifty,” suggested Ross, who wasn’t prepared for the counter offer.
“Let’s go five hundred,” demanded Davis, which prompted a “Hell no” from Ross, before being goaded by his own supporters.
“C’mon, Adin, you have to take it bro,” Paul told Ross. “You have to take it.”
Ross then requested that he and Paul split the bet with Davis - $250,000 each. Paul was down – perhaps a little too much so for his friend.
“Easy, easy,” said Paul before he turned towards Davis. “Let’s make it a million.”
“Whoa,” exclaimed Ross.
It at least got the attention of a more interested part.
“Let’s make it two mill,” Davis responded, before walking to center stage, where he and Paul shook hands as a gentleman’s agreement.
Davis even attempted to goad Nakisa Bidarian, Paul's longtime business partner and co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) to join in on the action.
"How much you wanna bet," Davis asked Bidarian.
"I'll bet you guys put on the biggest event of the year," Bidarian responded.
It wasn't the answer Davis wanted to hear.
"C'mon, this your guy," Davis replied, before he was shut down by Bidarian. "But that's your guy?"
State athletic commission normally forbid bets between participants, though the result of the November 14 fight will not count against either boxer’s record.
This is not the first time an interaction between Davis and Ross resulted in a hefty wager.
The two were part of an Instagram Live hosted by influencer Kai Cenat during fight week for Davis’ anticipated April 2023 clash with then-unbeaten Ryan Garcia. The highly viewed online session resulted in Cenat and Ross agreeing to a $10,000 bet – Cenat on Davis, Ross on Garcia. Davis and Garcia continued the session and generated headlines by claiming to risk their entire fight purses, though it obviously never happened.
Davis won via seventh-round knockout, atop a Showtime Pay-Per-View event that sold a reported 1.2 million units – the best-selling pure boxing event in the post-Floyd Mayweather era.
Ross fulfilled his bet with Cenat, although the two played up an alleged delay before a recorded session provided proof of payment.
