Gervonta Davis says Floyd Mayweather set him up to lose his first world title fight. The revelation comes years after their split, shedding new light on their rocky relationship.
Davis told The Jay Hill Podcast that Mayweather put him in a tough spot back in January 2017. At the time, Davis was 21 years old with a 16-0 record, making about $10,000 per fight.
"He [Mayweather] put me in to make me lose and thought I would lose. A boxing match. Jose Pedraza. My first world title."
Davis hadn't fought for 7-8 months when Mayweather gave him an ultimatum: fight Pedraza or sit on the shelf. The young boxer faced financial hardships, got evicted, and had to sell jewelry.
Despite the odds, Davis won the fight. He stopped Pedraza in the seventh round, capturing the IBF super-featherweight title and becoming a world champion for the first time.
Mayweather guided Davis for most of his early career. Under his mentorship, Davis won world titles in multiple weight divisions and became one of boxing's most exciting fighters. But their relationship turned sour, leading to a split in 2022 and public insults.
Davis, nicknamed 'Tank', is now set to defend his WBA lightweight crown against Lamont Roach in March. There's also talk of a recently crowned world champion calling him out for a fight.
The full interview with Davis is available on The Jay Hill Podcast, where he goes into more detail about his journey and relationship with Mayweather.
