Gervonta Davis vs. Naoya Inoue: Mayweather Promotions’ CEO Defends Abdul Wahid’s Star Power With Cheeky Response

Gervonta Davis and Naoya Inoue may not meet in the ring anytime soon, but a fierce rivalry for their star power is heating up online. However, believe it or not, everything began with a statement from former professional boxer ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter. The thing is, Porter thinks for ‘Monster’ Inoue to maximize his stardom, he needs to fight an American in America. 

What’s more, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe, feels the same way! Reacting to Porter’s statement, Ellerbe wrote on X, “The young man is [definitely] a rock star in Japan, and he’s generating enormous revenue, but outside of the diehards, he’s relatively unknown in the U.S.” This seems to have started a debate among fans about who’s more popular, eventually prompting Ellerbe to settle the debate with a witty response. 

Leonard Ellerbe mocks fans with Gervonta Davis’ accomplishments

After Ellerbe’s tweet, a user commented on the tweet, suggesting that, similar to what Ellerbe thinks about Inoue, no one outside of the boxing fan base is aware of Gervonta Davis’ stardom or the things he has achieved. While there is some truth to the user’s statement, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions didn’t feel the same way! 

In a tweet responding to the user, Ellerbe wrote, “That’s your opinion but it’s ok. You would know you [have] done countless shows, and I know you have all the metrics to back what you said.” It’s worth mentioning that Davis’ fight against Ryan Garcia still remains one of the biggest spectacles of recent years, raking in $100 million in revenue. 

And after knocking out Ryan Garcia, who is big on social media, Davis popularity has skyrocketed. He is also often referred to as the new face of boxing. Meanwhile, Inoue is also extremely popular in Japan and among boxing fans, after all, he is the undisputed champion in Super Bantamweight and Bantamweight divisions . The same is evident from the headlines both fighters make on a daily basis. Nevertheless, after discovering Porter’s statement about him, Inoue responded to the drama!

Naoya Inoue feels Japan is home to lightweight boxing

Inoue has a fight coming up on May 6 at the Tokyo Dome, where Mike Tyson suffered an upset loss at the hands of Buster Douglas. The ‘Monster’ Inoue will face Mexico’s (35-1) Luis Nery in a twelve-round fight for all of Inoue’s four major belts. However, Porter’s statement about him fighting in America didn’t sit well with the Japanese puncher.

In a tweet dated April 13, Inoue wrote, “The home of the lightweight division is now here in Japan. If you want to see the game, come to Japan.” He further expressed his thoughts on fighting in America. “If there is something better than what is available in the Japanese market in America, I would be happy to go. That’s all worth it here in Japan,” wrote Inoue.

With that said, Leonard Ellerbe seems to be confident about Gervonta Davis being the most popular fighter in the world, despite what fans think. However, even he cannot deny that not everyone out and about knows the name Gervonta Davis. What do you think? Has Davis become a household name? Let us know in the comments section below.