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Gervonta Davis recently confirmed he’s no longer contractually tied to Mayweather Promotions.
Over the course of the calendar year, Davis dropped many hints alluding to the notion that he’d no longer be working with his mentor moving forward.
Davis cited it was all love and that there was no bad blood with Mayweather Promotions, and even thanked Mayweather and company for getting him to where he currently stands in his undefeated career, next getting ready to face Hector Luis Garcia on Jan. 7, and Ryan Garcia later this year.
“It’s just a test run right now with this, you know what I mean. I’m on my own. But much love to Mayweather Promotions, Leonard, Floyd, all them guys. I definitely appreciate them. I’m just doing my own thing now. That said in the future, we can’t work together or anything like that. I’m just trying to put my own pants on,” Davis said on Dec. 5.
Davis will still be working with Mayweather confidant and father figure Al Haymon of Premier Boxing Champions.
During a recent media appearance, Mayweather was asked about the fractured relationship with Davis.
“I’ve always been a gentleman. I’ve always been respectful. There’s nothing like taking a kid that comes from the same background as you, helping them, and putting them in a position to become a multimillionaire,” Mayweather said on The Earn Your Leisure Network, published on YouTube on Dec. 12.
“You meet a kid, and he comes up to you for an autograph. I sign the autograph for him and then I tell him, ‘in a few years when you get older, I’m going to work with you and make you world champion someday.’ Years later, I started working with him, helped him, and pushed him to be great. And if he feels like he’s grown wings where he can fly and become his own boss, more power to him. Because I didn’t get into the sport of boxing after I retired to not want to see fighters grow. If he feels that he can surpass Floyd Mayweather, or be the next Floyd Mayweather, I’m here to push you. Go for it.”
Mayweather has first-hand experience severing ties with a promoter and betting on himself, just like Davis is doing.
In April 2006, Mayweather bought out his contract with Top Rank Boxing for $750,000 and went on to fight in the richest fights in boxing history, earning the moniker of “Money.”
Mayweather remembered that phase of his career as well.
“I just had vision. I didn’t just want to be promoted in one area. I wanted the money to spread out so I can be promoted all around the world. I wanted to be worldwide,” said Mayweather. “I think [Top Rank] had me in a chokehold. I didn’t want to be in a chokehold, so I took it upon myself to buy myself out of my contract and gamble on myself, and to become my own boss, and that’s what I did.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com.