I’m going to start with an apology, because if I’m fed up writing about it, you’re probably fed up reading about it. Every other week boxing manages to serve up another circus event dressed as the “next big thing.” And I’m going to be honest with you all—I’m getting sick of it.
If it’s not Mayweather vs Tyson — yes, that is actually happening — it’s Jake Paul sniffing around Anthony Joshua and making headlines about the risk of that fight ever being real. And then of course we’ve got the never-ending debates about whether Jake Paul is a “real” boxer or just a savvy entertainer.
Now it’s Paul vs Davis, marketed as an exhibition. At first, I thought it might actually be worth watching. A decent clash, maybe even competitive. But then the details started to come out—the weight gap, the strange restrictions, and the watered-down rules. At that point, you may as well call it a wrestling match. Because this isn’t boxing anymore.
The Rules That Ruin It
Let’s be clear: exhibitions are nothing new. Muhammad Ali did them. Mike Tyson’s been doing them for years. The difference is that those events, at least, carried a sense of occasion. They felt like boxing, even if the stakes were lower.
This Paul–Davis fight, though? The rules are so neutered that you can’t even call it competitive. No official winner. Shorter rounds. Weight differences that no proper commission would sanction. In other words, all the parts of boxing that make it real—danger, risk, legitimacy—are being stripped out.
And that’s where the exhibition boxing controversy kicks in. Fans tune in expecting to see boxing. What they get is cosplay with gloves on.
Weight Gaps: A Circus Trick
The weight gap is another issue nobody can ignore. In a real fight, regulators step in to make sure things are fair—or at least reasonably so. In exhibitions, all that goes out the window. Big gaps are dressed up as spectacle, as though one fighter being naturally heavier is part of the fun.
Except it isn’t fun. It’s a gimmick. And it insults the intelligence of anyone who follows the sport seriously. If a fight isn’t competitive on paper, why should anyone believe it’ll be competitive in the ring?
Are Fans Finally Losing Patience?
Here’s the thing: promoters wouldn’t keep staging these cards if people weren’t paying for them. The numbers must still add up. But can you feel the mood shifting? I can.
A few years ago, people were curious. They bought the Mayweather–McGregor hype. They tuned in to Jake Paul’s early fights just to see if he’d sink or swim. But the more of these shows we’ve had, the more tired the whole routine feels.
Now the biggest talking point isn’t the match-up itself—it’s the exhibition boxing controversy around it. And when the sideshow overshadows the main event, you know fans are tuning out emotionally, if not financially.
The Damage to Real Boxing
The biggest problem with all this circus stuff isn’t that it exists—it’s that it clogs the arteries of the sport. While we get endless exhibitions, we’re still waiting for real fights that matter.
Unifications stall. Mandatory challengers sit idle. Young fighters who could be headlining shows are pushed down the bill, or worse, never get the exposure they deserve. Imagine the investment promoters put into these circus fights going instead into proper cards that built the next generation.
But here’s the harsh truth: as long as fans keep clicking, streaming, and paying, the circus will stay in town. And that’s as much on us as it is on them.
Final Round
So here we are again. Another exhibition. Another round of controversy. Another reason for boxing fans to argue about whether these shows are harmless fun or a slow death by humiliation for the sport we love.
Maybe I’m being harsh. Maybe Paul vs Davis will shock everyone and deliver something entertaining. But right now, I can’t help feeling like exhibitions have gone too far, and patience is running thin.
What do you reckon? Are exhibitions still worth a look, or have we finally had enough of the circus? Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this post with your boxing mates, and check out more opinions over at CMBoxing.