A top boxing official in Georgia pulled no punches while addressing the proposed fight between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis scheduled for Nov. 14 in Atlanta despite a significant weight discrepancy between the two boxers.
“This is the dumbest (expletive) I’ve ever heard,’’ said Rick Thompson, chairman of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission (GAEC) that must approve the fight for it to be held in the state. “It’s a money grabber, and I’m not OK with that.’’
Thompson said he opposes the fight as a sanctioned professional boxing match or as an exhibition.
Most Valuble Promotions, co-founded by Jake Paul, did not respond to USA TODAY Sports requests for comment submitted by email and text message. MVP announced Netflix will livestream the fight.
A member of the five-man GAEC, Thompson said the fight will need votes from three of the commissioners to be approved. He declined to speculate on the outcome.
“But I’m going to make my biggest case that this is not good,’’ said Thompson, who also is vice chairman of the Georgia State Ethics Commission.
Chris Haraszti, who along with Thompson is a GAEC commissioner, told USA TODAY Sports that he would decline to comment until he heard more about the fight’s particulars. The three other commissioners did not return messages to USA TODAY Sports. Matt Woodruff, executive director of the GAEC, also has not responded to messages left by USA TODAY Sports.
A member of the GAEC for about 15 years, Thompson said he objects to the weight discrepancy between the two boxers. Davis, the reigning WBA world lightweight champion, weighed in at 133 ¾ pounds for his last fight and Paul weighed in at 199 ½ pounds for his last fight.
Thompson also said he doesn’t think Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) is a competitive fighter.
The marketing of the fight is underway, with a Nov. 14 date having been reserved at State Farm Arena. Also, MVP announced press conferences are scheduled for Sept. 17 in New York and Sept. 18 in Georgia, where Thompson and the other four commissioners are scheduled to meet that same day.
Thompson also said he expects the Paul-Davis fight to be on the commissioners’ agenda on Sept. 18 and that fight representatives have requested a rules waiver to address the issue of weight discrepancy. The rules in Georgia prohibit more than a nine-pound weight difference between two boxers.
Also, Thompson said he took issue with the fight being advertised before it is approved.
“It is absolutely without a doubt arrogance,’’ he said.
