LOS ANGELES, CA — Just months ahead of his highly anticipated exhibition match against Gervonta “Tank” Davis, a blurry, chaotic video surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) that allegedly shows Jake Paul being rocked during a private sparring session — and boxing fans everywhere are split: Is the footage real or just part of the hype machine?

The viral video, which already racked up 9.6 million views, appears to show a much smaller fighter landing a clean shot that causes Paul to stumble.

The identity of the sparring partner is unclear, but many fans believe it was a Gervonta Davis lookalike — brought in to mimic Davis’s fighting style in pre-fight simulations.

Team Paul has quickly dismissed the clip, calling it “misleading and edited,” with Jake Paul himself tweeting: “LOL. That’s not me. Nice try, internet.”

Despite the denial, fans remain divided. Some believe the clip is legitimate, pointing to the size discrepancy between the fighters and claiming it’s proof Jake Paul is vulnerable ahead of the November 14 bout on Netflix.

Others suspect the footage is part of a calculated move by Paul’s team to generate buzz, increase engagement, and play into the narrative that Jake is the underdog heading into a bout with a pound-for-pound elite like Gervonta Davis.

Popular boxing influencers and analysts have weighed in too. ESPN commentator Max Kellerman said on his podcast: “If it’s real, it proves what many of us have said — Jake Paul can’t handle elite speed. If it’s fake, it proves something else — he’s mastered the fight promotion game.”

This isn’t the first time a “leaked” video has emerged before a Jake Paul fight.

In past bouts, similar footage — real or not — has conveniently gone viral right before a pay-per-view or streaming event.

It raises a bigger question: Is viral controversy now part of the modern fight marketing strategy?

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With Netflix pouring $50 million into “Fight for the Future”, and TikTok, X, and YouTube Shorts dominating how Gen Z consumes sports content, a sparring video going viral is as valuable as any promo poster.

Whether it’s real or scripted, the clip serves its purpose — it’s putting Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis front and center in the cultural conversation.