It has been eight years since Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor stepped into the boxing ring for their crossover fight in Paradise, Nevada. Even now, the spectacle feels surreal to recall. The highly anticipated bout opened with referee Robert Byrd reminding McGregor of the sport they were in, cautioning, “You’re going to hear me say stop because I’m not going to wrestle with you, and I’m not going to grapple with you,” while locking eyes with the UFC star.

On August 26, combat sports history was made when two of the biggest names in boxing and MMA collided, generating an astounding $600 million in revenue. The fight attracted 4.5 million domestic pay-per-view buys and a sold-out arena, with Mayweather securing victory via 10th-round TKO. As the dust settled, Mayweather walked away with $280 million, while McGregor pocketed $130 million. Despite the blockbuster payday, the retired MMA fighter and analyst argued that, for boxing, the matchup did more harm than good. Why, you ask?

Better boxing skills don’t always guarantee victory

Yesterday, Chael Sonnen dedicated an episode of his podcast Beyond the Fight to a bold title: “Jake Paul vs Tank Davis Sucks.” While breaking down why he felt this matchup was problematic, Sonnen compared it to the infamous Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor crossover bout. He reminded fans that the fight, despite the hype, ended up hurting the credibility of boxing. “Conor McGregor and Mayweather had a weight discrepancy, but it was very small. I mean, I watched them weigh in. It was like 8 lbs. It was very small, but you understood that Conor was pulling to those 8 lbs and he might put on another 10, and it could be an 18 lbs difference. Like never has that ever come up in fighting. From the free formats to the pugilists,” Sonnen explained.

Sonnen went further, emphasizing the real disappointment that came out of Floyd Mayweather vs. McGregor. He said, “Eventually Conor and Floyd fought and everybody goes, ‘Oh crap, this thing, the sport that we truly believed in, turned out to not be as real as we hoped.’” For Sonnen, the fight exposed a hard truth: having better boxing skills doesn’t necessarily mean you can beat your opponent. He clarified, “In fact, if you confirm the rules and just make it boxing rules, being a better boxer than these guys does not even mean you can beat the guy up under those rules.”

He described the night as a “colossally disappointing moment” for boxing. Why? Because “Floyd needed 30 minutes to get rid of a guy who had never done the sport before, and the only thing you could hang your head on was the 8 lbs that we knew about and possibly the alleged 18 lbs,” Sonnen explained. To him, the matchup exposed boxing as vulnerable and left fans questioning its authenticity.

With that history in mind, The American Gangster now warns fans about Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis, fearing it could be a repeat of the Mayweather-McGregor situation. Paul was originally in talks to face former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, a matchup that had fans intrigued. Eddie Hearn confirmed those negotiations, but Joshua’s exclusive DAZN deal created a network conflict that ultimately killed the fight. The collapse of that potential mega-event left fans frustrated, and for Sonnen, Paul fighting Davis is a massive step down. Why, you ask?

Chael Sonnen slams Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis as a step down from Joshua  

In the same podcast, Chael Sonnen addressed the matchup, saying, “It’s not as bad a fight as you guys think. For one, it’s the exact opposite of Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul… The opposite of fighting Anthony Joshua isn’t fighting nobody! The opposite of fighting Anthony Joshua is fighting Tank Davis.” Sonnen explained that while the fight isn’t a complete loss, it is far from the blockbuster matchup fans expected when talks of a Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua bout surfaced.

He further went on to highlight another issue with the matchup, which is Gervonta Davis’ ability to sell a fight. Sonnen claimed, “The one big glaring issue for me is your partner being Tank Davis. Tank is not the guy who knows how to sell a fight. Tank cannot sell a fight in his own division.” While Davis is undoubtedly one of boxing’s biggest stars, Sonnen believes he lacks the promotional flair needed to maximize interest in a crossover event. By contrast, The Problem Child has built his career in marketing and hype, making him the more dynamic salesman of the two.

Despite Sonnen’s concerns, Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis is still an intriguing spectacle. Key details such as the contracted weight, number of rounds, and glove size are yet to be finalized. In Jake Paul’s fight with Mike Tyson, for instance, special rules were implemented, including larger 14-ounce gloves and shorter rounds due to Tyson’s age. Similar adjustments could be made for this exhibition. That said, do you agree with what Chael Sonnen said regarding the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor bout? And do you think Gervonta Davis will have to struggle a lot to take down the bigger Jake Paul?