Boxer Gervonta Davis jailed in domestic violence case

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis was arrested and booked Wednesday, Jan. 28 on charges of attempted kidnapping, false imprisonment and battery, according to records with the Miami-Dade County, Florida Clerk of Court and Corrections and Rehabilation Department.

Davis, 31, was being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to the records. The action against boxer stems from a woman saying Davis attacked her while she was working at Tootsie’s Cabaret strip club Oct. 27 in Miami Gardens. Richard Wolfe, an attorney representing the woman, said she pressed charges against Davis with the Miami Gardens Police Department.

The woman also filed a civil lawsuit in which she said Davis committed battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress against her. 

Emmanuel Jeanty, an executive officer with the Miami Gardens Police Department, during a press conference Jan. 14 called the matter ‘a domestic violence incident.’ He said Davis was wanted on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping and that the police department was working with the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force ‘to locate and apprehend’ the boxer.

False imprisonment and attempted kidnapping are felonies and battery is a misdemeanor.

In November, according to one of Davis’ representatives, the boxer had left Florida for Maryland with his legal status and the future of his boxing career unclear. Davis was born and raised in Baltimore but in recent years moved to Florida.

The legal issues led on Nov. 3 to the cancellation of Davis’ fight against Jake Paul, which was scheduled for Nov. 14 in Miami.

Wolfe, who shared with USA TODAY Sports surveillance video of the alleged attack, said he was aware of Davis being in custody and that the boxer was arrested at his home in the Miami area. The records with the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilation did not indicate where Davis was arrested.

Wolfe said police on Wednesday called his client and told her of the update regarding Davis. The woman then called Wolfe and another attorney representing her.

The Miami Gardens Police Department said it had no information to provide Wednesday night and that its public information officer would not return until Thursday.

But during the Jan. 14 press conference, Jeanty provided additional information:

The woman, who was working at Tootsie’s Cabaret as a VIP cocktail waitress when she said Davis attacked her, said she had known Davis since 2022. The woman also said she and Davis were in an intimate relationship for five months and it ended about a month before the alleged attack at the strip club.

This story has been updated with new information.