Gervonta “Tank” Davis is embroiled in a new legal battle, just two weeks before his highly anticipated exhibition fight with Jake Paul on November 14, 2025. A civil lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County accuses the WBA lightweight champion of multiple serious offenses, including battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit, obtained by ESPN, details allegations from Davis’s ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossel. According to her claims, the incident occurred at Tootsies, a Miami gentlemen’s club where Rossel worked as a VIP cocktail server. The complaint states that Davis allegedly confronted her in the early hours of Monday, physically attacking her in a back room that lacked surveillance cameras. Rossel further alleges that Davis dragged her through various areas of the club and assaulted her in the parking garage.
Rossel described her five-month relationship with Davis as fraught with violence and threats. She states in the lawsuit that there were “at least” four prior incidents where Davis physically assaulted and choked her. On two occasions, she claims Davis threatened her life, specifically on September 2 and September 23. In the latter incident, after accusing her of infidelity, he allegedly sent a chilling text message stating, “I’ll kill you,” before subsequently choking her in public at Playa Miami, a restaurant located in the Lincoln Road Shopping District.
In the aftermath of the latest alleged attack, Rossel reported receiving a text message from Davis that read, “I’m on my way! To ya house,” which she interpreted as an imminent threat. The lawsuit indicates that Rossel is now grappling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and severe fear, leading her to seek therapy while living with others for her safety.
The legal team representing Rossel is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages and has requested a jury trial. This lawsuit arrives just two months after a previous domestic violence case against Davis was dropped by another former partner, who is also the mother of two of his three children.
Davis has a history of legal issues, including previous charges related to domestic violence and a hit-and-run incident in Baltimore that resulted in a sentence of 90 days of house arrest and three years of probation.
ESPN has reached out to Davis’s representatives for comment but has not yet received a response. The outlet also made inquiries with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions regarding whether this lawsuit would impact the upcoming fight at the Kaseya Center in Miami, but no comment has been provided.
The unfolding situation raises significant questions about Davis’s future in the sport, as legal troubles continue to shadow his career.
