Some Monday morning musings after a surprisingly busy weekend in boxing …
Jake Paul vs. … who?
As Sports Illustrated first reported, Paul’s team has been canvassing boxing the last few days in search of a replacement for Gervonta Davis, who last week was named in another domestic violence case, this one a civil suit brought by a Miami-area nightclub hostess who accused Davis last week of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions said in a statement they are investigating the allegations.
Still, I’m told it’s very unlikely Paul-Davis, scheduled for Nov. 14, will move forward. Netflix, which hates bad press, is anxious about the fallout from this civil suit, leading MVP to scour the boxing landscape for marketable replacements. As SI reported, a formal offer was made to Ryan Garcia for a December date while undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford has been approached. I’m also told that Logan Paul, Jake’s brother, was briefly discussed.
The most interesting name in the mix: Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight champion. MVP and Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, discussed a fight between Paul and Joshua this summer, before eventually tabling the negotiations until 2026. Hearn told SI on Saturday that he has had conversations with MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian about Paul-Joshua, and that there is mutual interest in the fight.
“We are available,” Hearn told SI. “If you’re asking me ‘do we take the fight,’ of course we take the fight. It would be a nice way to end this little journey. Does Jake Paul really want to fight Anthony Joshua? He’s a crazy guy. Maybe he thinks he can catch AJ on the fly. Hasn’t really been in training camp … should the opportunity present itself it would be a huge fight. Never say never.”
Hearn noted there are some complications. Joshua has an exclusive deal with DAZN, the subscription-based streaming service (disclaimer: I call fights on DAZN). There’s little incentive for DAZN to allow Joshua, its biggest star, to fight on another platform. DAZN also has a deal with MVP, meaning it could explore a Joshua-Paul fight on its own next year. Could Netflix offer enough money for DAZN to step aside? Maybe. But the clock is ticking.
Other boxing notes
• Hearn did break a little Joshua news Saturday, telling SI that one way or another Joshua will fight before the end of 2025. Matchroom has several cards left for the year, beginning Nov. 15 with the anticipated rematch between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn. Hearn has teased an early AJ return but in the last few days has indicated it won’t come until next year. Now, it seems Joshua, who has not fought since a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in 2024, will fight in ’25 after all.
• How much will Davis lose out on if his fight with Paul is scrapped? Around $25 million, sources familiar with the contracts told SI.
• Is Lenier Pero a heavyweight contender? The former Cuban Olympian dispatched Jordan Thompson on Saturday, winning a wide decision to stay undefeated. There’s no denying Pero’s skills. He’s slick, a good body puncher and remarkably accurate: Pero landed 50% of his power punches against Thompson.
Still, Pero is missing … something. Sitting ringside, there wasn’t that wow factor. Facing Thompson, a former cruiserweight who had been out of the ring for two years, Pero tired in the middle rounds. When he did hurt Thompson, he couldn’t close the show. There are good fights for Pero out there—Jarrell Miller crashed Pero’s post-fight interview, and Hearn indicated that’s a fight he would like to put together—and he will need them to prove he can compete at the top level.
• Pat Brown is impressive. The British cruiserweight prospect blew past Felix Valera in two rounds Saturday, improving to 5–0, with all five wins coming by knockout. Beating the 37-year-old Valera (24–9) is hardly an accomplishment. But it’s how Brown did it, mowing the durable Valera down with power shots in the second round, that was most impressive. Matchroom isn’t rushing Brown, a 2024 British Olympian, but there are high hopes for Brown to be in the title mix quickly.
• What’s happened to Joshua Buatsi? I had high hopes for Buatsi coming out of the 2016 Olympics. He had a polished, pro style and seemed like the kind of fighter who could hit the fast track for a world title. A bronze medal didn’t hurt, either. Promoters agreed, aggressively pursuing him. But eight years into his pro career Buatsi has never fought for a world title. On Saturday he squeaked by Zach Parker in a controversial decision. At 32, Buatsi is running out of time to live up to his potential.
• Ring Magazine reported that Ryan Garcia is closing in on a 147-pound title fight with Mario Barrios (Garcia confirmed the negotiations in a text message to SI). Garcia is looking to bounce back after a lackluster showing against Rolando Romero last May. Barrios just fought Manny Pacquiao to a draw last July. It’s a solid fight. What will be interesting will be the gymnastics the WBC performs to rank Garcia at welterweight.
• Promoters need to start paying attention to Tommy O’Toole. The Boston-based Irish light heavyweight picked up another win on Saturday, stopping Ismael Ocles in the fourth round. O’Toole (15–0), a sturdy, 6' 3" southpaw is improving by the fight. He’s also drawing strong crowds in the Boston area. Guided by Matt and Mark Nolan, O’Toole looks ready to make a major move at 175-pounds in 2026.
• Vergil Ortiz–Erickson Lubin, slated for Saturday in Fort Worth, is a heck of a fight. There is a lot of buzz for an Ortiz–Jaron Ennis fight, which could happen in early 2026. But Lubin is a real fight. Lubin is a true 154-pounder who has won three fights in a row since dropping a slugfest to Sebastian Fundora. Expect this one to be a war.
More Boxing on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as With Netflix Fight in Jeopardy, Jake Paul Has Plenty of Options for a Replacement.
