Titled "Gervonta Davis goes off on Turki Alalshikh at Ring Awards Event"
Gervonta Davis and Turki Alalshikh's working relationship seems to be on a temporary hiatus. The current WBA lightweight champion seemed somewhat peeved that he didn't receive an invite to the Ring Magazine award ceremony, held at The Old Royal Naval College in London. Top-tier boxing stars like Oleksandr Usyk, Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, and Devin Haney, among others, graced the event, which Ring Magazine, now under Alalshikh's ownership, publicly showcased.
Davis, apparently miffed, shared a similar photograph from Matchroom Boxing's Instagram, taking a jab at Alalshikh and all attendees. In his caption, he questioned why he wasn't included and criticized those invited, slinging profanity for added impact. Davis continued his criticism in another post, calling into question Alalshikh's contributions to boxing and his focus on building up boxers from his home region.
His ire extended towards fighters who had accepted lucrative paydays from Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Season. Davis implied that foreign soil wasn't necessary to make big money in the sport, and he got plenty from his hometown fans.
While Davis's stance is understandable, the public ranting may not reflect well on him. His defiance deserves support, but appearing jealous of his peers and the business opportunities they've grasped could come across as unproductive.
Davis's choice of opposition for his upcoming fight against Lamont Roach Jr., also received criticism. Davis, an odds-on favorite, has been called out for taking on less formidable opponents. Davis's sour mood has persisted for two months, manifesting as frustration and quick triggers during press events. Discussing his retirement in 2025 and then canceling his fight with Roach only to reconfirm later followed by promoters and networks denied the cancellation reports.
Regardless of his feelings towards Alalshikh, Davis remains a top-class lightweight boxer with the potential to become an all-time great. With more high-profile victories under his belt, he could still solidify his place in the boxing pantheon.
As for Alalshikh, Davis's criticism and public outbursts did little to sway him. The boxing business mastermind remained open-minded and supportive of Davis's belief, but he was also keen on building a strong boxing infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, assisting local talent in their climb to prominence.
[1] https://www.boxingscene.com/gervonta-davis-calls-out-turki-alalshikh-and-saudi-boxing-promoter-over-snub--178373[2] https://www.dailysabah.com/sports/boxing/gervonta-davis-slams-saudi-boxing-promoter-alalshikh-after-abuajaj-boxing-deal[3] https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/gervonta-davis-rips-turki-alalshikh-26658701[4] https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/35104105/gervonta-davis-rips-turki-alalshikh-over-ring-magazine-snub-saudi-arabia-boxing-dispute
Tank Davis expressed his displeasure on social media after not receiving an invitation to the Ring Magazine award ceremony, questioning why he wasn't included and criticizing attendees. Despite Gervonta Davis's criticism and public outbursts, Turki Alalshikh, the boxing business mastermind and owner of Ring Magazine, remains supportive of Davis's belief and is focused on building a strong boxing infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Gervonta Davis's next fight is against Lamont Roach Jr., despite critics calling out Davis for taking on less formidable opponents.
