Ryan Garcia could end up in the ring with Jake Paul. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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“The Problem Child” has a problem. He needs to find a new opponent fast.
Jake Paul has zeroed in on Ryan Garcia as a potential replacement for Gervonta Davis, according to multiple outlets. Paul’s representatives have reportedly made an offer to Garcia to face Paul in December, two sources with knowledge of the offer told Sports Illustrated.
A civil lawsuit filed against Davis has derailed the Paul-Davis fight that’s scheduled for November 14th. In the suit, a woman accuses Davis of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress following an incident at a Miami-area nightclub.
On Saturday, Most Valuable Promotions, which Paul owns and operates along with his business partner Nakisa Bidarian, issued a statement regarding Davis’ legal problems, saying in part, “We will make a determination on next steps once we have completed our review and consulted with the appropriate parties. Until then, we will not be commenting further.”
Paul is reportedly in search of a bankable opponent who can headline a bout that will stream live on Netflix. That search has brought him to Garcia — a social-media brand much like Paul, with more than 12 million followers on Instagram.
Part of Garcia’s appeal may be his controversial past. In 2024, he destroyed then-undefeated Devin Haney, knocking Haney down three times in a majority decision win. But a positive PED test following the fight overturned Garcia’s win into a no-contest. Garcia returned last May, losing a decision to Rolando Romero in a 147-pound title bout.
Garcia has publicly pushed for a fight with the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter, most notably calling out Paul after Paul’s win over Mike Tyson last year.
However, Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, went on social media Saturday to say a bout with Paul will not piece together. “Let me tell you why this fight isn’t going to happen. Ryan Garcia fights for DAZN and Jake Paul fights on Netflix. I mean that’s pretty much the bottom line,” De La Hoya said.
The question then becomes: Who could step in for Davis if Garcia can’t? The most obvious possibility is former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who’s been linked to Paul since the summer. But a Joshua-Paul likely doesn’t happen before the end of the year.
If the Paul-David fight collapses — and it’s looking like it will — the biggest loser in all this is Davis, whose once-promising career has been upended by multiple legal woes, including other arrests for domestic violence. A misdemeanor battery charge from an alleged domestic dispute involving Davis were dropped this summer.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonystitt/2025/11/01/sources-jake-paul-seeking-ryan-garcia-to-replace-gervonta-davis/
