Former world champion Amir Khan has launched a scathing attack on the planned exhibition match between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis, labelling the November 14 Atlanta event as "disgusting."
The retired British boxer expressed serious concerns about the future of the sport if such mismatched contests continue to take place.
He praised Saudi boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh's stance against such events, noting the promoter's refusal to associate with YouTube personalities and exhibition matches.
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"I mean, it is disgusting and you know, someone's gonna end up getting hurt really badly in all this exhibition of boxing," Khan said, speaking to The Sun.
Amir Khan has blasted the matchup as embarrasing
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The enormous physical mismatch between the two fighters means professional sanctioning is impossible for their Atlanta showdown.
Paul competes at cruiserweight, weighing in at the 200-pound limit, whilst Davis campaigns at lightweight, tipping the scales at just 135 pounds - a staggering five-stone difference between the combatants.
Height presents another stark contrast, with Davis standing at 5 feet 5 inches, eight inches shorter than his opponent.
Paul brings a 12-1 professional record into the exhibition, having suffered his only defeat via split decision to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia during 2023.
His most recent victory came against 39-year-old former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June, earning him a number 14 ranking with the WBA.
Khan drew unfavourable comparisons between boxing and mixed martial arts, arguing that MMA maintains stricter standards regarding fighter safety.
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Jake Paul will face Gervonta Davis on November15
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"And that's why if you look at the sport, this is why MMA is doing so well and that people are respecting it more," he stated.
The 2004 Olympic silver medallist emphasised that MMA prevents inexperienced fighters from facing established professionals in the octagon.
"You don't get these dummies coming in and fighting a real MMA fighter, you know what I'm saying?" Khan added.
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His primary concern remains the risk of severe injury, warning that such incidents could inflict lasting damage on boxing's reputation and credibility as a legitimate sport.
Despite his harsh criticism, Khan acknowledged the financial realities driving Davis's decision to accept the exhibition bout.
The WBA lightweight champion, who fought to a draw with Lamont Roach in March, cancelled their rematch to face Paul instead.
Gervonta Davis is significantly mismatched in comparison to Jake Paul
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Khan recognised Floyd Mayweather's influence on his former protégé, suggesting Davis has adopted his mentor's business-first approach to the sport.
"Look at end of day we're prizefighters, and if you're gonna make the most money in a fight like that, and if it's towards the end of your career now and you've not really got a few more, you've not got much left in your tank, then yeah, you go for the fight," Khan explained.