Last year, when Gervonta Davis delivered a thunderous 8th-round KO to Frank Martin, he could have never predicted that 2025 would flip the script on him. And while the 30-0 boxer didn’t lose his March 1 fight against Lamont Roach Jr., his refutation definitely took a hit. The defining moment? That shocking image of him taking a knee in the 9th round—a sight no one could have ever imagined with him being one of boxing’s most dominant stars. The match might have ended in a controversial draw, but in the court of public opinion, the verdict was already in: ‘Tank took an L’. Even Roach Jr. himself walked away believing he had done enough to take him the win. But that’s not the real problem here.
The real issue? The power of social media and the ever-unforgiving boxing fandom. When it comes to lifting a fighter up or tearing him down, the internet remains undefeated. This notion was on full display during Tank Davis’ recent encounter with a fan. And for Gervonta Davis, it was cutting deep. A bold (or just plain reckless) critic ran into Gervonta Davis, while the 30-year-old was standing around with his friends, next to his car. And instead of asking for an autograph or picture, as most do, the man casually challenged Tank to “run a fade” with him. For those unversed in urban lingo, ‘to run a fade’ translates to fight or throw hands or square up. Yes. The guy did that. The sheer audacity, right?
“Holy s—, hey Gervonta Davis, right? What’s good brother?” the guy in the clip stated in the beginning. Davis, being cool about it, even fist-bumped the fan, not knowing what was to come next. The guy then switched gears and started talking recklessly. “Hey man, I was just trynna catch a friendly fade with you. I know you do all that boxing s—. You feel me? For some money! I got some money. Ain’t no money like, you know. A Little fade or something that’s not orchestrated on live TV. But just on some hood s—. I put the belt to a–,” the man boldly declared.
Man went up to Gervonta Davis in the street and asked to run a fade. pic.twitter.com/NT1PZ89shI
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) March 22, 2025
The initially friendly Gervonta Davis, seeing the conversation switch suddenly, turned cold and unresponsive. And rightfully so. The guy then asked his friends for a fist bump which was collectively refused by the group. The man then dejectedly walked away while making a few more lucid remarks.
The WBA Lightweight champion for his part, kept the interaction cool despite the apparent disrespect. It seems the man might not be familiar with the idiom – “mess with the bull, you get the horns.” The same thought was also echoed in the comments of the clip.
Gervonta Davis Dodges Drama, Prepares for High-Stakes June Fight
Naturally, the shot went viral and the internet wasted no time clowning the situation, saying, “Catch a fade? Gervonta didn’t want to catch a lawsuit is what it was.” Meanwhile, one fan summed it up perfectly. “He did the right thing lol.. ain’t worth getting an attempted m—– charge for knocking buddy out.” The very idea of challenging Gervonta Davis to a random street fight is beyond ridiculous.
Another fan pointed out the obvious setup. “So what he gets in trouble and you sue for losing lol,” the user wrote. A fair question, considering the guy in the video kept insisting he had money to bet on the fight. But let’s be real—what if he had no money at all? What if he was just clout-chasing, hoping to provoke the 30-year-old into reacting so he could sue? It would’ve been a foolish yet calculated move—and it has happened before. Remember the Mike Tyson Jet-blue incident? Let’s face it, the guy in the clip stood zero chance of winning. His best shot was getting hit, taking the L, and trying to cash out in court.
A similar take read, “If this street fade happened dude would have sued Davis just for LOSING .” And honestly, that would have been the probable outcome. So it was good on Gervonta Davis’ part that he decided to hold in his frustration.
Meanwhile, another fan delivered a reality check, saying, “Hands is registered weapons, can’t do that anyways lol. He would’ve been wrong if he slumped you though.” Another user agreed, stating, “Tank make a good business decision. Ain’t even worth his time.” And they are absolutely right. With a potential rematch looming in the next two to three months, why would Tank waste his energy on something this pointless? It seems interactions like these happen only with combat sports athletes. But at least the internet did its part in trolling the man for his apparent lack of respect.
So, did Gervonta Davis do the right thing by ignoring him? What are your thoughts on the situation?
The post Gervonta Davis Dodges Legal Trouble as Fan Demands to ‘Run a Fade’ With Boxing Champ, Internet Reacts appeared first on EssentiallySports.