In a year marked by both triumphs in the ring and turmoil outside it, undefeated boxing sensation Gervonta “Tank” Davis was arrested in July on a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident, adding to the lightweight champion’s history of legal entanglements. The charges were ultimately dropped less than a month later, but the episode has resurfaced amid a fresh civil lawsuit accusing the 30-year-old Baltimore native of assaulting another woman just days ago on October 27th.
Davis, the reigning WBA lightweight titleholder with a flawless 30-0 record, was taken into custody on the morning of July 11, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida, following a heated confrontation at his ex-girlfriend’s home in nearby Doral. The woman, identified as the mother of two of Davis’s three children, alleged that the boxer arrived around 5 p.m. on June 15—Father’s Day—to pick up the children for a visit. What began as a verbal dispute over personal matters, including Davis’s reported “insecurities about the sexuality of their son,” quickly escalated, according to a Doral Police Department report. The victim claimed Davis punched her in the back of the head with a closed fist and slapped her across the face during the altercation. She further described approximately 10 prior undocumented physical confrontations in their four-year relationship. After regaining custody of the children—which reportedly upset Davis—he allegedly revved his vehicle’s engine in a threatening manner before leaving the scene. The woman sought medical treatment at a local hospital following the incident.
Authorities transported Davis from Miami Beach to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where he was held on a $10,000 bond. He was released shortly thereafter, with an initial court hearing set for July 29. However, the case took a swift turn in August. On August 12, Miami-Dade prosecutors dropped the charges after the victim declined to pursue prosecution, a decision corroborated by her attorney, Lindsey Chase. A key witness—the victim’s mother—also failed to cooperate, skipping a required prefile conference despite a subpoena.
“The case was dropped as the victim is declining to prosecute per her victim attorney,” a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State’s Attorney Office stated at the time. Neither Davis nor his representatives issued public comments on the arrest or its dismissal.
This incident was far from Davis’s first brush with the law. The 2020 Olympic alternate has faced multiple accusations of violence against women over the years. In December 2022, he was arrested in Washington, D.C., on a felony assault charge after allegedly striking a woman in the eye during an argument at a holiday party; those charges were later downgraded and resolved with probation. Earlier that year, Davis served nearly three months in jail for violating probation related to a 2020 hit-and-run crash that injured three people, ultimately pleading guilty and receiving 90 days of house arrest followed by three years of probation.
The July episode drew widespread attention, particularly as it occurred during a period of professional resurgence for Davis. Coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over Frank Martin in June 2024, the boxer was gearing up for high-profile bouts, including a much-anticipated Netflix-streamed clash with YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul scheduled for November 14, 2025.
Complicating matters further, Davis now faces a new civil lawsuit filed on October 30 in Miami-Dade County’s 11th Judicial Circuit Court by Courtney Rossel, a 28-year-old VIP cocktail waitress at Tootsie’s Cabaret in Miami Gardens. Rossel, who claims a five-month intimate relationship with Davis dating back to 2022, accuses him of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising from an alleged attack on October 27 at the strip club.
In the complaint, Rossel details being forcibly dragged from a VIP lounge through a stairway, kitchen, and back exit to the parking garage, where Davis allegedly choked, grabbed, pulled, pushed, and struck her in the head.
She further alleges at least four prior physical assaults by Davis, including chokings, and two written threats to kill her. Represented by attorneys Richard C. Wolfe and Jeff Chukwuma, Rossel is seeking unspecified damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional trauma.
Davis’s camp wasted little time in responding. His longtime trainer, Calvin Ford, dismissed the suit as “nonsense” in a statement to media outlets, adding that the team is “investigating its origins” while affirming that Davis remains focused and in strong form ahead of the Paul fight. “Tank is doing well and preparing for what’s next,” Ford said.
As Davis eyes another blockbuster payday—potentially worth tens of millions against Paul—these allegations cast a long shadow over his legacy. Fans and critics alike have long debated whether the 5-foot-5 knockout artist, known for his blistering power and defensive wizardry, can outrun his personal demons as effectively as he does his opponents in the squared circle.
The Paul-Davis bout, billed as a clash of eras between old-school boxing pedigree and modern influencer bravado, proceeds as planned for now. But with legal clouds gathering, questions persist: Will Tank’s next fight be in the ring or the courtroom?
