The WBA have officially ordered Gervonta “Tank” Davis to begin negotiations for a mandatory lightweight title defence against unbeaten contender Floyd Schofield Jr. As a result, pressure continues to build on the American star after more than a year away from the ring.
Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) has not fought since his majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr in March 2025. Therefore, the timing of this mandatory challenge feels far from ideal.
Meanwhile, Schofield enters the fight young, unbeaten and aggressive. He also comes into the biggest opportunity of his career with absolutely nothing to lose.
For Davis, however, a return from such a lengthy layoff straight into a risky fight presents obvious danger.
Gervonta Davis vs Floyd Schofield negotiations underway
The WBA confirmed this week that both camps have now entered a 30-day negotiation period. Discussions are expected to continue until June 22 before purse bids potentially come into play.
In addition, the sanctioning body reminded both teams of its championship regulations. Those rules require world champions outside of heavyweight to defend their titles every nine months.
One interesting aspect surrounding Gervonta Davis vs Floyd Schofield is the approach being taken by Floyd Schofield Sr.
Rather than publicly calling Davis out, Schofield’s father has taken a more measured approach in interviews. He has openly acknowledged the size of the opportunity and even suggested his son’s profile rises regardless of the result.
Some fans believe that may be a deliberate strategy.
Floyd Schofield could be high risk for Tank
Davis has previously shown little interest in facing opponents viewed as high risk. For example, Shakur Stevenson spent years publicly chasing a fight without success.
Because of that, Team Schofield may feel that keeping negotiations respectful gives them the best possible chance of securing the opportunity.
If the fight does get finalised, it would comfortably represent the biggest moment of Schofield’s career so far.
For Davis, though, it would be a dangerous first outing after more than 15 months away from competitive action against a young, fearless and highly motivated contender.
