The boxing champ recently stated that he didn’t mind contracting the virus while fighting if that means “I put on a great show.”
On Halloween, Gervonta Davis is returning to the ring to face off with Leo Santa Cruz. The highly-anticipated event will take place in front of a live audience, and while it’s a controversial move during a pandemic, Gervonta told TMZ Sports that he’s willing to take the risk. “I’m just only speaking for me as a fighter — I’m okay with getting sick to please the fans,” Davis said. “If I got sick and I find out that night, I’d be okay with it just knowing that I put on a great show. I did it in front of the fans. I did it for a cause.”
Davis added, “If I gotta take that hit, then you know I’ll quarantine by myself, just knowing that I did it for the fans, and I did something great for the sport and things like that… I’m not saying I want that to happen but if that was to happen, I’m okay with taking that lick on the chin. Take that fourteen days and stay healthy.”
His comments incited anger in some people who believed that his take on the situation was irresponsible, considering today’s political and social climate, and because of how many people have died due to the virus. Gervonta resurfaced on Instagram with an apology to the public.
‘I would like to 1st apologize if anyone took my comments on my TMZ Sports interview offensive about me being OK with getting COVID 19,” Gervonta Davis wrote. “The point that I was making was, my fans have been asking me for months was I going to have fans at my next fight. So I told my team I’m willing to take the chance just to please my fans and give them something to smile about through this pandemic.”
He added that he and everyone on his team will exercise any and all safety precautions for the fight. “I want everyone to be safe and come enjoy this event. Thank you!” He added in another slide that he’s human, not perfect, and recognizes that he can be wrong.
Instagram
[via]