Jake Paul distributed shoes to โchildren in Harlem, New York, on wednesday, September 18th, following a cryptic โInstagram post that sparked concern among fans ahead of his upcoming bout with Gervonta Davis. Theโ gesture occurred before the first face-off between Paul and Davis,scheduled to take place in Miami.
Theโ shoe giveaway appears to be a response to anxieties surrounding the fight, which โฃhas been re-designated as โคan exhibition match by Floridaโค officials due to a notable weight differenceโค between the two boxers. This โคshift in classification,coupled withโฃ licensing issues that forced a venue change from Atlanta โto Miami,has fueledโ uncertainty about the event. Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix are โproceeding โคwith the exhibition, despite fan disappointment, with the fight now slated to showcase skill rather thanโข a competitive win-or-lose scenario.
Marcosโข Guerrero, Paul’s long-time business associate and COO, offered reassurance, stating, “It getsโข better I promise.”
Florida Athletic Commission Executive Director Timothy Shipman confirmed to USA Today last week that the fight will be an exhibition. “Youโ can’t doโค a fight like that as a pro โขfight,” Shipman said. “It’ll be an exhibition fight.” Florida โฃstatutes โฃdefine an exhibition as โ”a boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts engagement in which persons participating โshow or display their skill without necessarily striving to win using strikesโฃ and blows to the head or other full-contact maneuvers.”
The event has already garnered significant attention, withโ the video ofโ the Harlem shoe giveaway โviewedโ over 1.2 million โtimes within an hour.
