Celebrity boxing may not quite have the same ‘new car smell’ it did a few years ago when Conor McGregor took his crossover bout with Floyd Mayweather and the Paul Brothers first started their rise to pugilistic notoriety, but the steady stream of crossover athletes, musicians, and influencers willing to test themselves inside the ring has remained, unabated.
With Jake Paul returning to the ring this August, after a short break to promote the epic Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano superfight, it seems he’s intent on finding some new talent to showcase on the undercard of his next PPV. Notably, former NBA player Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis.
Shams Charania of the Atlantic reports that Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions company had been targeting an NBA vs. NBA matchup with Davis taking on former Milwaukee Bucks player Larry Sanders, but that Sanders’ contract with the ‘Big 3’ 3-on-3 basketball league prevented the booking from going ahead.
Hoops-boxing crossover: 8-year NBA vet Glen “Big Baby” Davis is targeted to be part of Jake Paul’s PPV event on Aug. 13, per sources. Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions was working on Davis-Larry Sanders, but is now evaluating new opponent due to Big 3 commitment for Sanders.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 26, 2022
ESPN has since reported that Paul’s team is looking to book Davis against a former WWE professional wrestler, but no names have been made public as a part of that discussion.
Currently reported as weighing over 300 lbs, the 36-year-old Davis was notable for his rotund stature in the NBA, playing for 8 years in the league—largely with the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. As a rookie, Davis was part of the 2007-2008 Celtics team that won the NBA title.
Davis last played in the NBA in 2015, with the Los Angeles Clippers, before a brief run in the National Basketball League of Canada. Most recently, Davis was one of 18 NBA players indicted on fraud charges for allegedly filing false insurance claims in an attempt to defraud the NBA’s benefits system.
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