AMIR KHAN has hit out at Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis’ “disgusting” exhibition bout and fears boxing is at risk of disastrous mismatches.
Paul announced he will take on WBA lightweight champion Davis on November 14 in Atlanta.
GettyJake Paul is set to fight Gervonta Davis on November 15[/caption]
GettyDavis’ bout with Jake Paul is set to be an exhibition[/caption]
But the bout is not destined to be professionally sanctioned due to their FIVE STONE weight difference.
Paul fights at the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb while Davis still reigns in the 135lb 9st 9lb and also stands eight inches smaller at 5ft 5in.
Khan – who retired in 2022 after a crushing loss to bitter rival Kell Brook – warns boxing could be on the verge of danger if these bouts continue.
He told SunSport: “I mean, it is disgusting and you know, someone’s gonna end up getting hurt really badly in all this exhibition of boxing.
“That’s why I respect Turki Alalshikh saying that he doesn’t want nothing to do with these YouTubers and these exhibition fights.
“And not only that, how can you take it seriously? You look at this weight difference.
“It’s a mismatch and I just hope someone’s not gonna end up getting hurt one day that it’s gonna put boxing down.
“And that’s why if you look at the sport, this is why MMA is doing so well and that people are respecting it more.
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“You don’t get these dummies coming in and fighting a real MMA fighter, you know what I’m saying?”
Paul is 12-1 in his boxing career with his sole defeat coming in 2023 against Tommy Fury – suffering a split-decision loss in Saudi Arabia.
He most recently beat former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 39, in June to earn himself a No14 rank in the WBA.
Last November, controversially brought Mike Tyson out of retirement aged 58 to win over eight shorter two-minute rounds.
Davis, 30, meanwhile is coming off a draw against Lamont Roach, also 30, in March with a rematch axed to instead face Paul.
The American star was once mentored by boxing’s ultimate prizefighter Floyd Mayweather.
And Khan believes Money’s influence is beginning to rub off on Davis.
Khan, who will promote an October 1 boxing card in Nigeria, said: “Respect where it’s due but yeah, definitely it is.
“Look at end of day we’re prizefighters, and if you’re gonna make the most money in a fight like that, and if it’s towards the end of your career now and you’ve not really got a few more, you’ve not got much left in your tank, then yeah, you go for the fight.
“So yeah, I don’t blame him. I mean, go for the money, but that’s the money is everything. Money talks at the end of the day.”
Floyd Mayweather and Amir Khan in Dubai in 2022Rex Features Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
