It’s news that has taken the boxing world by storm. And it’s not just about the fight itself. It’s the repercussions that worry many. Jake Paul will face Gervonta Davis. Period. On November 14, at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena, the WBA lightweight champion and the 14th-ranked contender will square off in a ten-round exhibition. Since the news broke, uproar has followed.

Even for an exhibition, the idea seems unfathomable. An unbeaten 135-pounder against a YouTuber-turned-boxer, whose last two bouts came against former heavyweight and cruiserweight champions, is a matchup few can digest. The noise now spills far beyond the safe confines of the ring. Former UFC two-weight champion Daniel Cormier weighed in on the fight during the latest episode of his podcast. His monologue not only broke down the matchup but also recalled a certain stage in UFC history.

Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis: Cormier compares the odds

To begin with, Cormier praised Jake Paul. He respects Paul’s progress and drawing power. This is the same man who has been a staunch critic and confronted Paul in person at UFC 261 four years ago. Yet when it comes to the matchup against 135-pound Gervonta Davis, he found it odd. “I respect Jake Paul today. I respect the work that he’s done. I respect how he’s promoted fights. I respect what he’s done to build his name to the point that Netflix always wants to be in business with him,” he said. But that respect soon hit a breaking point.

“I don’t know that I can look at this one and go, ” Well, I respect that he’s fighting a guy that’s better than him. Gervonta’s better than him. I just don’t know that. I mean, he’s so much bigger. It’s actually kind of crazy. It’s so much bigger,” Cormier added on his show. Paul’s bold claim of beating the David (Davis) first and then taking on the Goliath in Anthony Joshua only fueled his concerns. That’s when Cormier drew a parallel with UFC’s past, wondering how fighters like Ilia Topuria or Merab Dvalishvili would fare in higher weight classes.

Daniel Cormier then recalled the early days of the UFC. “There was no weight class, and it wasn’t just the biggest guy who won every time.” So, he speculated, Tank Davis might still have a chance against Jake Paul. Davis is smaller, but he’s undoubtedly the better boxer.

That raised a bitter truth to reckon with: what if Gervonta Davis wins?

When the tide turns against you!

“Everything Jake Paul has done is wiped completely out,” Cormier reasoned. By contrast, if Davis loses, his brand takes a hit, but he can lean on the fact that he fought a man 70 pounds heavier. Things might look different if Paul came down to a contracted weight. But Cormier clearly had his doubts.

Still, despite the uncertainties, the matchup intrigues Daniel Cormier enough that he confirmed he’ll tune in, just as he did for Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson.

“There’s some danger in that, man. There’s some danger for Jake Paul, less for Gervonta, but there’s some real danger in that fight. Imagine if Gervonta Davis knocks this dude out. People would go absolutely crazy,” he said towards the end. Yet beyond the doubts, one thing is certain. Jake Paul wouldn’t have signed on without calculating the risks.

Mike Coppinger offered some clarification. With the weight gap and exhibition rules, the November 14 bout is more spectacle than genuine contest. Moreover, fans might remember the uproar from 2021, when Jake Paul’s older brother, Logan, shared the ring with the much smaller Floyd Mayweather. That fight, too, was a non-scoring exhibition. Yet debates about who came out on top continue to this day.

What’s your take on Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis? Even as an exhibition, will fans accept this matchup?