Gervonta Davis is one of the best boxers in the world. With a 29-0 record, world championships in three weight classes, and a recent win over the previously undefeated Ryan Garcia, Davis's resume speaks for itself. However, despite a long list of successes within the ring, controversy, scandals, and arrests have plagued Gervonta's public image.
At the beginning of June of 2023, Davis was taken into custody at Baltimore Central Booking. Gervonta was already on house arrest for three months after a hit-and-run incident. However, he allegedly violated the conditions of his home confinement, leading to his incarceration. It now seems that Davis will have to serve the rest of his sentence in jail. Unfortunately, this most recent incident is just one in a long line of scandals for Gervonta Davis. Here's a look at Gervonta Davis's biggest scandals and arrests.
February 2020: Charge Of Simple Battery Domestic Violence
Davis was arrested on February 4, 2020 on the University of Miami's campus due to an altercation with his daughter's mother. In a video of the altercation, Davis is seen grabbing a woman near her neck and pulling her out of her seat at a charity basketball game during Super Bowl weekend. In the arrest affidavit, the victim of the assault claimed that Davis struck her in the face-off camera, and there were injuries on the victim's face that confirmed this.
Despite this, Gervonta Davis denied the allegations on social media. He wrote, "I never once hit her, yea I was aggressive and told her come on ... that's the mother of my child I would never hurt her." Davis later deleted the post. He was held on $1,500 bail and later released.
November 2020: Hit-And-Run Accident
The incident that led to Davis's current incarceration occurred nearly three years ago on November 5, 2020. According to statements made to the police, Davis was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV in the early hours of the morning when he struck another car after running a red light. Four people were injured in the accident, including a pregnant woman, Jyair Smith. Davis faced fourteen charges related to the incident.
In September 2022, a judge declined Davis's plea deal. Along with this, some more horrifying details of the incident were revealed at the trial. The aforementioned Jyair Smith stated that she was trapped in a smoking vehicle and screaming. She told the Baltimore Sun that Davis "looked me in the eyes, and he never came over to help." Smith also stated that the accident severely injured her knee. This caused her to be unable to work or play with her kids. Smith pursued a civil case against Davis, while the other three victims settled with him.
December 2022: Gervonta Davis Is Arrested For Allegedly Slapping a Woman
Gervonta Davis was arrested on December 27, 2022 after allegedly striking a woman with a "close hand type slap." ESPN obtained the audio of the police call the woman made. In the call, she stated, "Please help me; I need help, please. I'm trying to go home, I have a baby in the car and [he] attacked me. ... He's going to kill me." Davis once again denied these allegations on social media.
In his post, Davis wrote, "I NEVER PUT MY HANDS ON MY CHILD MOTHER NOR MY F***ING DAUGHTER... I'M NOT A MONSTER I BEEN QUIET FOR TOO LONG. ... THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M DOING THIS NOW! JUST TO CLEAR MY NAME!" Just days later, the woman claimed that Davis did not harm her or her daughter.
The woman also posted about the incident on social media. She wrote, "While the emotions were running high I made an unnecessary call to law enforcement in an intense moment while I was frantic. Gervonta did not harm me or our daughter. Today, we have sought the help necessary to move forward with our lives. I am confident that we will succeed within our co-parenting dynamic with the counseling provided to us." The woman soon dropped the charges against Davis.
May 2023: Sentencing for Hit-And-Run & Current Incarceration
The sentencing for the hit-and-run incident occurred on May 5, 2023. Davis avoided jail time but was sentenced to 90 days of house arrest, three years of probation, and 200 hours of community service. The Baltimore Banner reported that Davis spent his house arrest in between a Four Seasons Hotel and a $3.4 million penthouse apartment in South Baltimore without the judge's permission. Ultimately, the judge determined this was a violation of his house arrest condition and ruled that Davis would serve the rest of his sentence in jail.
Davis has spent the best years of his boxing career in legal trouble. Despite his immense talent and entertaining personality, his legal battles have stained his reputation. However, Davis is still only 28 years old. There is still time to mature outside of the boxing ring. Yet, given what has been seen over the past few years, Gervonta Davis has proved to be one of the most controversial figures in sports.