“They Wheelchaired Mike Tyson”: Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis Sparks Debate Between Sean O’Malley’s Coach and Guest

The fight world loves a spectacle. And few matchups scream spectacle louder than Jake Paul versus Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. Two men from opposite ends of boxing’s universe are now linked by one date, November 14, inside the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Netflix is backing the event. Fans are already debating whether the clash is genius matchmaking or reckless theater. But before punches are even thrown, voices inside the fight community are raising tough questions.

In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley‘s coach, Tim Welch, couldn’t hide his doubts as he stated, “Jake Paul versus Tank Davis. I’m gonna be so surprised if that fight happens. Tank Davis is 5’5, Jake Paul he’s a clean 6’1 and he probably walks around 230. Exhibition match on Netflix, it’s going to get a lot of viewers.”

Welch was joined by MMA veteran Joe Riggs and UFC hopeful Tommy McMillen, who’s preparing for his debut on Dana White‘s Contender Series. The highly-touted prospect out of Montana then shared, “I feel like it’s going to happen, I mean they wheelchaired Mike Tyson in there to stand up.”

A brutal reference to Tyson’s health scare, when the former heavyweight champ was spotted in a wheelchair after a flight ahead of his clash with Jake Paul. Joe Riggs, a veteran of the UFC, WEC, Strikeforce, Bellator, and more, added his own perspective. He praised Paul’s growth, saying, “Jake’s gotten unbelievable, and he’s gotten really good,” but argued that the matchups haven’t lived up to what fans want.

However, McMillen disagreed. Why? For him, Paul’s story is bigger than belts, as he shared in the YouTube video, “I think what he’s doing is sick, honestly. He’s able to train obviously, which he likes to train. Training martial arts, if you learn how to fall in love with it, it’s just so good for you mentally.”

According to him, training, competing, and performing on big stages is keeping Paul grounded in a life of fame and fortune as he further shared, “Now he’s able to go out there and put on these fights, no matter who they’re against, like whatever, but everyone’s still tuning in, he’s making a lot money, he’s training, I mean, you can’t really hate on it. It’s super sick.”

So what makes this fight so unusual? Let’s start with the size, which was also noted by Tim Welch. In June, Jake Paul fought Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at cruiserweight, tipping the scales at 199.4 pounds. Davis, on the other hand, defended his lightweight title earlier this year, weighing in at just 133.8 pounds for his clash against Lamont Roach Jr.

As such, while there are skeptics who have come out firing against the ‘spectacle’ of this matchup, a respected voice in the world of boxing has now laid out one key factor in the Paul vs Davis clash that has captured his attention!

Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis clash backed by Teddy Atlas due to a crucial “what if”

Teddy Atlas, the veteran trainer and commentator, isn’t buying into the hype of sheer size alone. For him, the intrigue lies in one scenario: what happens if Gervonta Davis, a proven knockout artist, connects clean on Jake Paul? Davis owns a staggering 30-0-1 record with 28 knockouts. That type of power, Atlas argues, changes the conversation.

According to Atlas, “What if Tank Davis, who can punch, who is a hell of a fighter, who is a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter, what if, he lands a punch on this bigger guy’s chin, who is not a professional fighter, what happens? That’s what would sell it.”

Atlas also drew comparisons to ‘The Problem Child’s brother, Logan Paul’s 2021 exhibition with Floyd Mayweather. While that bout was criticized for being more theater than competition, Atlas believes there are echoes in the dynamic between Davis and Jake Paul. How?

He further explained, “Jake Paul’s brother fought Mayweather, and I am not saying I liked that either. First of all, Mayweather was past his prime, he was already retired, he was older, but he’s still the great Mayweather. And Mayweather was fighting a guy with 50 or 60 lbs difference.”

And so, this fight sits at the crossroads of spectacle and sport. Some see a circus. Others see opportunity. And voices like Teddy Atlas remind us that, beneath the lights and cameras, one punch can still change everything. So will Jake Paul’s size and momentum protect him, or will Tank’s power and skill prove to be the great equalizer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!