The excitement level for Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis isn’t quite there for boxing great Terence Crawford.
Paul, a YouTube star turned professional boxer, and ‘Tank’ Davis, WBA lightweight champion, are booked to headline a Netflix boxing event on Nov. 14. It’s an unusual matchup, not so much because of the discrepancy in high-level experience, but also in size. Paul’s most recent bout took place at 200 pounds, while Davis is a lightweight champion at 135 pounds. Like many, Crawford was a bit puzzled with the announcement.
“I have no reaction,” Crawford told Full Send. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with an 135-pounder going up against a 200-pounder, you know. If it’s scripted, then it’s going to be good for them and for the fans to watch.”
The fight is set to be an exhibition, not a professional contest, for 10 three-minute rounds at 195 pounds. Crawford doesn’t see this being much of a fight, but more of a show – a business move.
“I think it’s not a real fight,” Crawford said. “It can’t be a real fight because they’re not on the same weight so it be more of an exhibition. … I think they’re going to go in there and spar. I don’t think it’s going to be, ‘You try to go kill me, and I’m trying to kill you.’ It’s like, ‘Let’s go in there and get this money.’ It’s more of a business tactic than anything.”
Should Paul and Davis take the fight seriously and look to win, Crawford sides with Paul. He respects Davis’ skills, but thinks the difference in size is just too much to deal with for Davis.
“Jake too big for ‘Tank’, in reality,” Crawford explained. “Tank is very talented, can punch hard and explosive, and the whole nine yards. Jake can punch with the right hand, I’ve seen him close and personal. The dude is big. He’s not as slow as people think he is. He can punch. That’s why a lot of people know there were times he could’ve laid it on Tyson, but he kind of held back and same with Tyson.”
