The exhibition boxing match between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis, scheduled for Nov. 14 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, was called off after Most Valuable Promotions announced the cancellation on Nov. 3, 2025. The promoter said the decision followed the filing of a civil lawsuit against Davis earlier in the week alleging battery, false imprisonment and related claims. The cancellation removes a high-profile Netflix headliner and leaves Paul’s team planning a separate 2025 event. Ticketmaster buyers will receive refunds, the promoter added.
Key Takeaways
- Most Valuable Promotions announced on Nov. 3, 2025, that the Nov. 14 Paul–Davis exhibition in Miami is canceled following a civil suit filed against Gervonta Davis.
- Gervonta Davis holds a professional record of 30-0-1 with 28 KOs and is the WBA 135-pound champion; Jake Paul is 12-1 with 7 KOs and has previously fought as a near-200-pound cruiserweight.
- Promoter Nakisa Bidarian said the promoter will not proceed with the Nov. 14 card but intends for Paul to headline a Netflix event in 2025, with opponent and venue to be announced.
- The lawsuit against Davis was filed by an ex-girlfriend alleging battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
- Davis has faced a string of legal issues earlier in 2023–2025, including a dropped August domestic violence case and a 2023 hit-and-run that resulted in 90 days of house arrest and three years of probation.
- Most Valuable Promotions reportedly explored replacement opponents, with media reporting outreach to figures such as Francis Ngannou, Ryan Garcia, Andre Ward and Nate Diaz.
- Fans who purchased tickets via Ticketmaster will be refunded, according to the promoter; broadcast and sponsorship arrangements tied to the canceled card remain unresolved publicly.
Background
The Paul–Davis matchup had attracted outsized attention because it paired one of boxing’s elite 135-pound fighters, Gervonta Davis, with Jake Paul, a crossover star whose previous contests and size created a major weight disparity. The card was slated to stream as a headline event on Netflix and to take place at Miami’s Kaseya Center on Nov. 14, 2025. Promoters had marketed the bout as a major attraction combining Davis’s in-ring résumé with Paul’s mainstream drawing power.
Davis, a recognized name in professional boxing with a 30-0-1 record and 28 knockouts, has also had repeated legal entanglements in recent years. Notably, a domestic violence case reported in August was dropped, and a 2023 hit-and-run conviction in Baltimore led to house arrest and probation. Paul, 12-1 as a pro, moved into higher weight classes after beginning his career as a social-media–driven boxer and has been linked to standalone events and streaming deals rather than traditional sanction-driven title paths.
Main Event
On Nov. 3, 2025, Most Valuable Promotions said the promotion had been working with “all parties to navigate this situation responsibly” and opted to cancel the event amid the newly filed civil lawsuit. The promoter’s statement made clear the Nov. 14 card would not proceed but indicated plans remain for Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025, with additional details to be announced later.
Reports emerging after the cancellation said the promoter sought a replacement opponent to preserve the Miami date. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou told TMZ Sports he had been contacted but declined. Other names reported as potential outreach targets included Ryan Garcia, Andre Ward and Nate Diaz. None of those contacts were confirmed publicly by the promoter at the time of the announcement.
The cancellation removes a marquee streaming attraction and complicates logistical commitments for venue rental, broadcast windows, and fighter purses. Ticketmaster customers were told refunds will be issued; promoters did not immediately release details on how broadcast rights or fighter compensation would be adjusted beyond the cancellation notice.
Analysis & Implications
The immediate effect is financial and reputational disruption: the card was a commercial bet on spectacle rather than a conventional sanction-driven matchup, and scrapping it will affect revenues for the promoter, streaming partner and local stakeholders in Miami. For Jake Paul, the promoter’s commitment to a 2025 Netflix headliner suggests his commercial appeal remains intact, but the short-term loss of a high-profile bout reduces near-term ring activity and alters training timelines.
For Gervonta Davis, the lawsuit compounds an existing pattern of legal challenges that have periodically interrupted his career. Even when prior cases were dropped or resolved, they have created distractions and potential liability that promoters and partners must weigh when booking high-visibility shows. Sponsors and platforms tend to be risk-averse; a civil suit alleging serious misconduct can make commercial partners reluctant to proceed while allegations are unresolved.
From a regulatory perspective, exhibitions occupy a gray area relative to sanctioning bodies and athletic commissions. The weight differential between Davis and Paul was a central talking point for observers; athletic commissions will scrutinize any rearranged matchup for safety and competitive balance. If a replacement opponent had been found, the commission in the fight jurisdiction would likely need to sign off on medicals, weights and bout terms on an accelerated timetable.
Comparison & Data
| Fighter | Pro Record | Notable Weight | Title Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gervonta Davis | 30-0-1 (28 KOs) | 135 lb (champion) | WBA 135-pound champion |
| Jake Paul | 12-1 (7 KOs) | ~200 lb (most recent) | Exhibition headliner/independent |
The table highlights the contrast in professional résumé and typical competing weights that fueled public interest and safety concerns. Davis’ 28 KOs underscore his finishing power at lower weight classes, while Paul’s recent activity near 200 pounds reflects his atypical path relative to conventional, weight-class progression in boxing.
Reactions & Quotes
“Our team has worked closely with all parties to navigate this situation responsibly… While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan still remains for Jake Paul to headline an event on Netflix in 2025,”
Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions (promoter statement)
“I was approached about the date but chose not to take the fight,”
Francis Ngannou (as reported to TMZ Sports)
“Ticket buyers who purchased through Ticketmaster will be refunded,”
Most Valuable Promotions (promoter refund notice)
Each quote provides a snapshot of decisions by stakeholders: the promoter framed the cancellation as risk management, a potential replacement candidate declined publicly, and ticketing logistics were prioritized in the promoter’s public messaging.
Unconfirmed
- Reports that Most Valuable Promotions contacted specific fighters (Ryan Garcia, Andre Ward, Nate Diaz) to replace Davis are based on media reporting and were not confirmed by the promoter at the time of cancellation.
- The ultimate impact on Netflix’s planned broadcast commitments and any contractual penalties related to the canceled card has not been publicly disclosed.
- Allegations in the newly filed civil lawsuit are claims at this stage and have not been proven in court; legal outcomes remain pending.
Bottom Line
The cancellation of the Nov. 14 Paul–Davis exhibition removes a high-profile, commercially driven fight from the calendar and underscores how off-ring legal developments can derail even heavily promoted events. For Jake Paul, promoters signal continued plans for a 2025 Netflix headliner, preserving his commercial trajectory in the near term while altering immediate activity.
For Gervonta Davis, the lawsuit adds to prior legal episodes that have intermittently affected his availability and marketability; how the civil case proceeds will shape his short- and mid-term career options. Stakeholders — from broadcasters to athletic commissions — will closely monitor legal and regulatory developments before greenlighting comparable matchups in the future.
Sources
- ESPN (sports journalism report summarizing the cancellation and promoter statement)
- TMZ Sports (entertainment/sports media report on reported outreach to replacement fighters)
- Most Valuable Promotions (promoter statement/announcement)