Betrayed by Gervonta Davis, Junior Lightweight Star Gets Lifeline From Shakur Stevenson

Gervonta Davis just pulled the move fans feared most. Instead of running it back with Lamont Roach, “Tank” is set to face Jake Paul on November 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, a matchup purists consider a disgrace. Paul, who came in at 199½ pounds when he beat Julio César Chávez Jr. on June 28, will meet Tank Davis who last fought at 133¾ pounds in his March 1 draw with Roach. For context, Paul last weighed nearly 200 pounds versus Chávez Jr., while Davis came in around 134—roughly a 65-pound gap. Unless a catchweight is announced, athletic-commission guidelines point toward this being an exhibition. The bizarre size mismatch had Ryan Garcia fuming, declaring, “Boxing is officially the WWE,” after Paul’s originally planned fight with Anthony Joshua collapsed. But the bigger question is, what happens to the long-promised Davis vs. Roach rematch?

That fight was supposed to go down August 16, but Davis’ legal troubles and sudden retirement teases derailed it, leaving Roach stranded without an opponent. For Roach, it felt like betrayal – months of buildup only to be left hanging. Still, “The Reaper” isn’t sitting idle. Word is, he’s already lining up his next challenge with Shakur Stevenson, setting the stage for a new storyline in a division that’s quickly heating up. The WBA had actually ordered an immediate Davis–Roach rematch after their controversial draw in March, so the Paul announcement now raises questions about whether Davis will meet that obligation or risk sanction.

Why Shakur Stevenson says Yes to fighting Lamont Roach Jr.

Yesterday, Shakur Stevenson took to X to double down on his stance regarding a fight with Lamont Roach. When a fan on X asked him, “@ShakurStevenson where’s Teofimo hiding at?”, the Newark southpaw replied within a minute, “Idk, Don’t worry if he get cold feet I’m gone fight Lamont.” And it’s not that the WBA junior lightweight champion doesn’t want the fight either.

Just days earlier, @Unbiasedbox2 posted a clip of Roach being asked about his future at 135 lbs. The reporter listed names like Stevenson, Gervonta Davis, and Raymond Muratalla, before asking who Roach wanted to target over the next year. The 25-1 boxer dismissed the idea of anyone else, insisting that aside from a potential Davis rematch, the fight he truly wants is against Stevenson. “The best fight for me, and the best fight for the division would be me versus Shakur Stevenson,” Roach said, making clear that both fighters had already given a verbal agreement.

Roach explained further that the 24-0 boxer had also shown interest in the matchup. “To be pretty honest, he said he would take the fight, like between me and him. We definitely sat down and was like yeah, we will do it for sure. He is a competitor, bro, like he wants to show that he is the best, and he even does not have any picks like me. We will fight each other,” Roach said. Ultimately, the statement quickly caught Shakur Stevenson’s attention, and he revealed why he would be more than willing to face the WBA junior lightweight champion.

On X, Shakur Stevenson reshared the post and replied, “Same mentality champ. If this other fight don’t go thru we gone run it bro @OneOf1x💯.” And Roach finally closed the exchange with a two-word response, writing, “🤝💯.” So with Gervonta Davis now taking a bold step by fighting The Problem Child, it surely makes one scratch their head. Why would the 30-0 fighter, with 28 knockouts and wins over Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero, Frank Martin, and Mario Barrios, agree to face a 12-1 opponent with an unorthodox style? Anyway, while Claressa Shields may be all in on the bizarre matchup, but her close friend Shakur Stevenson isn’t buying it. Why, you ask?

Claressa Shields backs Jake Paul vs Tank, but Shakur Stevenson isn’t sold

For Claressa Shields, the news came as a shock. And The GWOAT admitted she might still tune in, if only out of curiosity. Shakur Stevenson, however, reacted differently. He has long called out Tank Davis for a mega showdown, yet instead of taking that fight, the Baltimore native chose to face a cruiserweight YouTuber-turned-boxer.

On X, Shields wrote, “Seeing Tank vs. Jake Paul announced today & not Lamont Roach was very shocking. But I’m gonna watch the fight 🤣🤏🏾.” Shakur Stevenson, on the other hand, made it clear he won’t watch Paul vs. Davis. When asked, he replied flatly, “Hell no. No.” Speaking to TMZ Sports, Shakur Stevenson explained his reasoning. “That ain’t really like, I mean, like I said, here’s the thing. Like I have two sides of me when it comes down to it: I have a business side, and then I have a competitor side. And from the competitive aspect, it doesn’t excite me for me to be like, ‘Okay, I want to watch it.’”

The contrasting reactions from Shields and Shakur Stevenson may reflect much of the debate surrounding this fight. And many fans already consider the matchup a disgrace. That said, what are your thoughts on the Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis matchup? And if Shakur Stevenson and Lamont Roach Jr. fight, who do you think will come out victorious?