Jake Paul has contractual clause added to Gervonta Davis fight to silence critics

Jake Paul is out to bust the myth that he is on performance-enhancing drugs.

‘The Problem Child’ has faced unfounded claims throughout his boxing career that banned substances have fueled his success.

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Heading into his upcoming clash against Gervonta Davis on September 14, Paul is aiming to silence his detractors by signing up for random drug testing with the gold standard of anti-doping bodies, USADA.

“Don’t worry, for all of you Karens who accuse me of being on steroids as the reason for winning all of my fights, we have the strictest drug testing possible for this match,” Paul said in a recent YouTube video.

“US Anti-Doping Agency. Random drug tests at any moment.”

Who are USADA?

USADA were the official anti-doping authority for the UFC between 2015 and 2024.

A dispute over Conor McGregor‘s eligibility to rejoin the UFC’s roster following a period of absence from USADA’s drug testing pool led to the end of a nine-year partnership.

Despite this, the impact of USADA on cleaning up the UFC cannot be overstated.

Before USADA came on board, PED use was a serious problem.

However, USADA’s meticulous random drug testing protocol and harsher punishments led to a significant decrease in the sport’s biggest issue.

Paul bringing USADA on board for his next fight with Davis is a serious statement of intent, even if the bout itself is unlikely to be taken seriously by hardcore fans.

What are the rules for Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis?

Due to the massive size disparity between the pair, the bout is likely to take place under an exhibition format.

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Paul has spent the majority of his career competing at cruiserweight (200lbs) and has boxed as heavy as 227lbs.

Davis, on the other hand, is a natural lightweight (135lbs) who fought at super lightweight (140lbs) once.

The official rules are yet to be confirmed; however, Paul stated earlier this year that the fight would take place over 10 three-minute rounds.

He also suggested that a weight restriction of 195lbs would be enforced on his end, while Davis would have to get as close to that weight as possible.

Besides the exhibition tag, the rules are expected to resemble those of a professional contest, even if there is no official scoring.