Sometimes a fight builds its own drama outside the ring. That’s exactly what is happening with Jake Paul vs. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. The punches haven’t even been thrown yet, but the storyline already involves live side bets, and now, a warning from Chael Sonnen.
The UFC veteran recently peeled back the curtain on what really went down between the two men. In fact, he argued this wasn’t just hype, but it might be a con, a bait-and-switch in real time. So is Davis really planning to stiff Paul out of $2 million?
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Chael Sonnen hands Jake Paul a warning about his bet with Gervonta Davis
Speaking on a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, ‘The Bad Guy’ began by stating, “You got a triangle. You got the promoter, you got the red corner, you got the blue corner. They all have to understand this code. Now Jake shakes on it, and I knew what that meant. My father taught me what that meant, but not everybody’s father taught them. So, I knew the code that Jake had and I knew why it was so important that even though this deal was made and a verbal contract was reached, I knew why it was so important that Jake come across and shake, I respected it.”
Before we delve further, the chaos began at the pre-fight press conference when streamer Adin Ross tried to spice things up. Originally in for $200,000, Ross pushed Davis to go higher. Paul stepped in, scoffing at the hesitation with, “Easy. Let’s make it a million. Easy work.”
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Gervonta Davis grinned, fired back, and doubled the stakes. “Let’s make it $2 [million],” he shouted. A handshake followed, and the crowd roared. For a moment, it looked like old-school boxing bravado, a gentleman’s bet, sealed in front of cameras.
But later, ‘Tank’ hopped on X and seemed to tear up the deal. He posted, “He was never getting that 2 mil… (no matter) what happens.” Just like that, the handshake seemingly meant nothing.
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As such, Chael Sonnen continued in his YouTube video by pointing out, “Now, I am fine with this even in spite of the shake. I really am. If you come out and you let the world know as publicly as you can, same way that you did the shake, you let them know as publicly as you can, “Hey, caught up in the moment, I was performing, that was your thing. I didn’t have time to think it through. I need to be very clear with you, we don’t have a deal. That’s actually fair game.”
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That, Sonnen argued, would have been fair. But Davis didn’t do that as the UFC veteran shared, “And here’s the deal, I believe that Tank just called the bet off. But he was never getting the $2 million. Tank could come out later and say, like say Tank wins, pay me my money, Yeah the deal was off. You said it right on social media. What I meant by that was you were never going to beat me. You’re never getting the 2 million, you’re never going to beat me. The bet was still good and now you owe me, right? Do you see where the problem comes?”
So, did Tank Davis really scheme to pocket the glory while skipping the wager? Only time will tell. But the bigger question surrounding this bet has become, is it even legal for boxers to bet on themselves?
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Davis vs Paul bet raises eyebrows over its legality
When Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis shook hands on their $2 million side bet, the buzz wasn’t just about the money. Fans wanted to know: is this even allowed? In boxing, wagering on yourself sits in a murky middle ground that few sports dare to touch.
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The one bright line is clear: fighters can never bet against themselves. That’s match-fixing, plain and simple, and it’s a career-ender. Betting on yourself to win, however, falls into a gray zone. Some athletic commissions allow it, others don’t, and the rules vary depending on the jurisdiction.
In 2017, Floyd Mayweather famously claimed he tried to put $400,000 on himself to beat Conor McGregor in under 9.5 rounds. Sportsbooks reportedly refused, citing integrity concerns, though Mayweather later admitted a friend helped him sneak part of the bet through.
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More recently, Ryan Garcia shocked fans when he revealed he had bet $2 million on himself to beat Devin Haney in April 2024. As the underdog, Garcia’s gamble turned into a windfall of around $10 million. Legal under Nevada rules, the bet was technically above board, but it left many uneasy. After all, no other major sport allows competitors to wager on their own performance.
As such, Chael Sonnen’s warning isn’t just about Paul allegedly getting conned; it’s also about how fragile trust becomes when fighters blur the lines between business, performance, and gambling. Legally, Paul and Davis can make all the side bets they want. But without a contract, it’s little more than theater, and fans are left to wonder if the handshake meant honor or hype!