Gervonta Davis is a name that has been hard to ignore in the world of boxing. With his upcoming fight against Lamont Roach in March at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, Tank has the chance to retire as an undefeated boxing champion, as he has expressed his intentions to hang up the gloves at the end of 2025. “After next year, I’m out of it. Yeah, out of this sport… S**t’s trash. This s**t is trash, garbage. Fed up. I’m fed up with the whole s**t,” the 30-0 boxer expressed during the press conference for his WBA lightweight title defense.

But recently, Davis has been making headlines for reasons other than his boxing prowess. Recently, Tank made a more personal and noticeable change—his hairstyle. Known for his signature long, braided locks, Davis recently debuted a new look by straightening his hair and wearing it out in a ponytail in an image that has been going viral online. As if this wasn’t enough to stir up talk, Chael Sonnen decided to weigh in on the matter, taking to social media to voice his opinion. What did he say? Let’s find out.

A New Look, A Questionable Move?

The former UFC fighter-turned-analyst is no stranger to stirring the pot on social media, especially when it comes to combat sports. The real twist came when Sonnen dragged Floyd Mayweather into it, causing even more buzz around Davis’ new look. So when he reposted a picture of the Baltimore-born champion sporting his new hairstyle, it was no surprise that his opinion would follow soon after. Sonnen captioned the image with, “I don’t get it. He the guy they call TANK? Floyd’s guy?”

The post immediately raised eyebrows. Why would Sonnen question Davis’ choice and drag Floyd Mayweather into it? To understand this, one must recall how ‘Money’, who was in search of a fresh face, enlisted the 20-year-old Gervonta Davis into Mayweather Promotions back in 2015. Mayweather, who had a talent for spotting promising fighters recognized Tank’s potential to become a top-level boxer. With Mayweather’s guidance, Davis went on to achieve remarkable success, winning titles in two weight classes and gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport.

Fast forward to May 2022, despite their early success, Davis left the ‘Money Team’ prior to his fight against Rolando Romero on May 28, 2022, at Barclays Center, Brooklyn. Why? Because Davis was unhappy with the opponents he was facing and felt Mayweather wasn’t promoting his fights enough. For that reason, one may say that Mayweather found himself in an awkward situation, despite no longer being associated with Davis. Nevertheless, things between the two have turned sour in recent weeks.

Coming back to his post, Sonnen may have called Gervonta Davis out because he sees his new look as clashing with the fierce, street-smart, ruthless persona Davis has built over the years—a tough, undefeated boxer with 28 knockouts in 30 fights, representing the streets. The hairstyle could signal a shift in Davis’ image, an experiment with style, or even a reflection of personal struggles. Either way, Sonnen’s comment has only added fuel to the fire.

But Gervonta Davis himself does not seem entirely at ease with the change. While others may have voiced their opinions, Davis has made it clear that he wasn’t seeking this kind of attention. In fact, he’s expressed discomfort with how the new look has affected his public image.

Gervonta Davis hates the public eye

Gervonta Davis’s discomfort with his new avatar was evident when he recently posted a selfie in a gym in his Instagram story. In the post, Davis was seen wearing a beanie to cover his new hairstyle. His message was clear—he wasn’t enjoying the attention that his change in appearance was garnering. “I didn’t do it for attention. I’m a lowkey type of guy,” Davis wrote in a subsequent post on X. “This being in the public eye be killing me fam. I’m not chasing no image at all nor a female I be gucci away from this shit,” the 30-year-old added.

As Gervonta Davis approaches a critical phase in his boxing career, with the chance to go undefeated before his planned retirement, it’s clear that he’s facing more than just challenges in the ring. The recent controversies surrounding his new hairstyle and the comments from Chael Sonnen only add to the pressure of being a high-profile athlete. But beyond the headlines and opinions, it’s important to remember that Davis is just a young man going through both personal and professional turmoil.

As fans, we can only wish him well. So what are your thoughts on it? Do you think Gervonta Davis’ new look really harms his street cred as Chael Sonnen believes? And most importantly, do you believe that Gervonta Davis will still retire in 2025?