Arrest warrant issued for Davis
Baltimore boxing champion wanted in connection with alleged Virginia assault
A magistrate in Fairfax County, Va., has issued an arrest warrant for boxer Gervonta Davis on a charge of misdemeanor assault, Fairfax County Police said Tuesday afternoon.
The warrant was issued Feb. 27 based on sworn testimony from the alleged victim in the incident, Fairfax County Police Lt. John Lieb said. It was not issued based on police testimony.
Lieb said police have made “numerous” attempts to contact Davis by telephone to serve the warrant but have received no response. He said the alleged assault occurred on Feb. 17 and that Fairfax County officers had contact with Davis that day, but he said he could not provide further details.
TMZ Sports reported that the alleged incident occurred at an upscale Virginia mall. A representative for Davis, 24, said he had no immediate comment, but the boxer addressed the TMZ report in two posts on Twitter. “Lies lies lies,” he said in one.
The misdemeanor assault charge carries maximum penalties of one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Davis, a Baltimore native who still trains in the city, successfully defended his WBA super featherweight title with a first-round knockout of Hugo Ruiz on Feb. 9 in Carson, Calif.
This is not the first time the undefeated champion has faced legal trouble.
Last September, Davis was arrested and charged with disorderly affray after an alleged wee-hours exchange of words and blows with a Silver Spring man outside a Washington, D.C., lounge.
In 2017, the state of Maryland dropped a misdemeanor second-degree assault charge against Davis after the accuser, his childhood friend Anthony Wheeler, said he did not wish to pursue the matter. Wheeler had alleged that Davis punched him in the side of the head with a gloved fist. The two menshook hands and embraced as they were leaving a court hearing.
In an interview before the Ruiz fight, Davis said he’d put his troubles behind him and was eager to fight at least three times in 2019, with one of those a homecoming bout in Baltimore this summer.
“I’m in a very good place,” he said at the time.