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Why Gervonta Davis’s legal troubles forced the cancellation of his fight against Jake Paul

A lawsuit filed by Gervonta Davis’s ex-girlfriend forced the cancellation of his fight with Jake Paul, putting his boxing career at risk

It was one of the most anticipated fights of the year: Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul were set to face each other this Friday, November 14, in the ring at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. However, the legal troubles of ‘Tank’, as the lightweight boxing champion is known, have blown up the match.

Courtney Rossel, Davis’s ex-girlfriend, filed a lawsuit against the boxer for assault, aggravated assault, felony battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress. The events date back to October 27, when, as reported by the woman, Gervonta Davis allegedly threatened to kill her and struck her at the club where she worked as a waitress. In addition, Courtney also reported “at least four previous assaults” during the five months she was dating the boxer. In response, authorities are investigating the case and, for now, have issued a restraining order prohibiting him from approaching Rossel or her workplace.

The legal charges Gervonta Davis is charged with

But what legal charges does Davis face following accusations from his ex-girlfriend, considering he is also a professional boxer? First, it is worth noting that ‘Tank’ has a criminal record with previous lawsuits, including one for assault against the mother of his child during a youth basketball game in 2020.

Now, Davis is accused of five possible offenses: assault, aggravated assault, felony battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress. According to Florida law, the charges the boxer could face range from financial penalties in the form of compensation for damages to prison sentences that could exceed 15 years if aggravating factors are proven.

Of those five offenses, three could, under Florida law, send the Baltimore boxer to prison and even result in a life sentence for committing crimes such as aggravated assault or kidnapping. In fact, the penalties for kidnapping a person range from 15 years in prison and up, and in some cases could reach life imprisonment.

How Gervonta Davis’s criminal record affects his legal issues

Having or not having a criminal record can spare a person from receiving a harsher penalty for committing a crime, whether civil or criminal. However, the case of Gervonta Davis shows that prior charges have a significant impact on the criminal record maintained by the police at the state level, which is checked each time a complaint is filed against someone with previous offenses.

The boxer himself had prior lawsuits, also for assault. In 2020, a video circulated on social media showing the lightweight boxing champion allegedly strangling the mother of his child near a youth basketball game. The same year, he was also involved in a car accident from which he fled, leaving four people injured, including a pregnant woman. For this, he served 90 days of house arrest and 200 hours of community service, followed by 44 days in prison for violating the sentence.

Now, his situation is very different. He has a criminal record for assault against another ex-partner, which reinforces Courtney Rossel’s account. In her case, the waitress is requesting a jury trial and $50,000 in compensation for post-traumatic stress.

On top of this, the lawsuit has taken a toll on his reputation as a professional boxer. Davis’s prior offenses, especially assaults against ex-partners, have negatively affected his public image, which could also result in the loss of sponsors, contracts, and public support. In fact, the cancellation of the fight against Jake Paul is just the tip of the iceberg in the reputational decline that Gervonta Davis could face in the coming weeks and months.