Boxer Gervonta Davis has been arrested for domestic violence following an altercation with his ex-girlfriend during Super Bowl weekend. Video of the incident soon went viral.
The current WBA lightweight champion turned himself in to Coral Gables, Florida authorities on Tuesday (Feb. 4) and was charged with one count of simple battery domestic violence.
Coral Gables Police wrote in a statement:
“As a result of an ongoing investigation after being notified through social media and the victim, on Feb. 1 2020, [Davis] was observed battering his former girlfriend whom [sic] have child together…[Davis] surrendered himself, to the Coral Gables Police detectives assigned to the case.”
On Saturday (Feb. 1), Davis and Andretta Smothers—the mother of his child—separately attended a charity basketball game in Miami.
Video shows Davis approaching a seated Smothers and forcefully grabbing her near her neck, yanking her from the seat. He then directed her out of the arena where the “heated” argument reportedly continued backstage.
Gervonta Davis rolled up ready to straight choke slam shorty pic.twitter.com/NLYHwzYI0i
— ??RIP Kobe Bryant????? (@mr_Iuares) February 1, 2020
Once the video went viral and social media dragged the boxer for being abusive, Davis tried to downplay the situation.
“I never once hit her, yea I was aggressive and told her come on,” he wrote on Instagram. “That’s the mother of my child I would never hurt her.”
TMZ notes Davis has a history of being aggressive outside of the boxing ring. In 2017, he was arrested for punching a friend. And he was arrested again in 2018 for a street fight.
