Jake Paul distributed shoes to children in Harlem, New York, on wednesday, September 18th, following a cryptic Instagram post that sparked concern among fans ahead of his upcoming bout with Gervonta Davis. The gesture occurred before the first face-off between Paul and Davis,scheduled to take place in Miami.
The shoe giveaway appears to be a response to anxieties surrounding the fight, which has been re-designated as an exhibition match by Florida officials due to a notable weight difference between the two boxers. This shift in classification,coupled with licensing issues that forced a venue change from Atlanta to Miami,has fueled uncertainty about the event. Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix are proceeding with the exhibition, despite fan disappointment, with the fight now slated to showcase skill rather than a competitive win-or-lose scenario.
Marcos Guerrero, Paul’s long-time business associate and COO, offered reassurance, stating, “It gets better I promise.”
Florida Athletic Commission Executive Director Timothy Shipman confirmed to USA Today last week that the fight will be an exhibition. “You can’t do a fight like that as a pro fight,” Shipman said. “It’ll be an exhibition fight.” Florida statutes define an exhibition as ”a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts engagement in which persons participating show or display their skill without necessarily striving to win using strikes and blows to the head or other full-contact maneuvers.”
The event has already garnered significant attention, with the video of the Harlem shoe giveaway viewed over 1.2 million times within an hour.
