If you haven’t heard the tale of idols turning into rivals, Gervonta Davis is writing his own chapter, one awkward backtrack at a time. Once Floyd Mayweather’s prized protege, ‘Tank’ now finds himself toeing the line between admiration and defiance. And in his latest attempt to stake his claim as boxing’s top dog, Davis didn’t just cross that line, he threw a punch straight through it. Ironically, it was a claim against the very man who retired undefeated, schooled champions for sport, and made ‘Money’ in boxing synonymous with his fight moniker. Then, in a twist that had everyone raising an eyebrow, Davis immediately backtracked. So, which is it, Tank?

Speaking with Jay Hill, Davis initially doubled down on his greatness, “Skill-for-skill, none of these guys can mess with me… I feel like my skills are way better than Floyd.” A bold statement. But, wait for it. Before anyone could even digest it, he backpedaled, “Well, I take that back. Probably hand-in-hand.” Ah, the sweet sound of hesitation. He continued, “But skill-wise, nobody on TV that’s fighting right now has more skills than me.” So, let’s get this straight, he’s better than Floyd, but also not? Davis seems to be doing mental gymnastics that even an Olympic judge would struggle to score.

There’s no denying the 30-year-old is box-office material. With a perfect 30-0 record and 28 knockouts, he delivers fireworks. But best, “skill-for-skill“? That’s where the debate gets spicy. Fans have been calling him out for ducking fights, particularly against the highly skilled Shakur Stevenson, another elite talent in the division. Meanwhile, the former three-division champ keeps flirting with retirement like it’s an on-again, off-again relationship. And yet, his next fight is already lined up against Lamont Roach for his sixth title defense. So, is he really trying to prove he’s the best, or is he just dodging the biggest threats while staying relevant?

At this point, it’s impossible to ignore the elephant in the ring: the Davis-Mayweather fallout. Once a power team, now estranged rivals, their relationship has seen more twists than a regular bout of drama. But was it all just business, or did personal tensions throw a wrench into their partnership?

How did Gervonta Davis’ base get estranged from him?

Once upon a time, Davis and Floyd Mayweather were the dream team. Floyd found Davis in 2015, took him under his wing, and groomed him for superstardom. Then, as it so often happens in boxing, the mentor-student relationship soured, badly. By 2022, Davis had ditched Mayweather Promotions, announcing his independence via social media like a teenager breaking up over text.

But why did it all fall apart? Well, according to Davis, Mayweather made his life miserable. In a recent interview, he claimed Mayweather left him high and dry, leading to an eviction where he had to sell his jewelry just to get by. And why? Tank suggests it had something to do with Mayweather’s daughter, Yaya.

Apparently, she was sending him Snapchats, Floyd found out, and all hell broke loose. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Davis hinted that it was a pattern of “little things” that pushed him away from ‘Money’ for good. Whatever those little things were, they must have been major enough for Davis to call his former mentor a “bitter b****” after Mayweather tried to sabotage his fight with Frank Martin by falsely claiming it was canceled.

Despite all the drama, Davis is still a superstar, and Mayweather remains a looming shadow over his career. The tension between them is far from over, and let’s be honest, Mayweather is probably still watching, waiting for a reason to remind Davis who really runs the game. What do you think? Is Davis truly the most skilled fighter in boxing today, or is he just the best at dodging the real challenges? And more importantly, can he ever truly escape Mayweather’s shadow? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!