Boxing history is full of lessons for fighters who overlook smaller opponents. The latest example Jake Paul should heed before facing Gervonta Davis comes from 2018, when a faded heavyweight was humbled by a former lightweight.
That night in Aberdeen, Scotland, Danny Williams, the same man who sensationally knocked out Mike Tyson in 2004, was stunned by Lee McAllister, a fighter who had most recently campaigned as low as 147 pounds.
The Danny Williams vs Lee McAllister Upset
McAllister, a former Commonwealth champion at 135 pounds, moved up more than SIXTY pounds to face Williams at heavyweight in what many saw as a tongue-in-cheek mismatch.
Instead, the 35-year-old local hero floored Williams three times before forcing a tenth-round retirement in front of his home crowd.
“Despite a four-stone weight differential, McAllister had Williams down three times in the first half of the fight. He finished the job in the tenth at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeen,” WBN reported at the time.
The lesson for Jake Paul
Fast-forward to 2025, and the circumstances bear an eerie resemblance. Jake Paul, who campaigns at cruiserweight, is set to face Gervonta Davis, a three-division world champion who began his career at super featherweight.
On paper, the size difference and weight stipulation of 195 pounds should make Paul the heavy favorite. But as Williams discovered, being the bigger man is no guarantee of victory when speed, timing, and skill are stacked against you.
McAllister proved that despite weighing five or six divisions below Williams for most of his career, a smaller, sharper fighter with the right game plan can chop down a giant.
Could Tank Davis repeat history?
Paul has made no secret of his confidence heading into the fight, dismissing Davis as too small to threaten him. But Davis, known as one of the sport’s most concussive punchers pound-for-pound, only needs one opening to prove otherwise.
The Williams–McAllister bout is proof that upsets across weight divisions are possible, particularly when an older, heavier fighter underestimates a quicker and more explosive opponent.
Jake Paul may have youth on his side, but if he underestimates Davis’ power, the outcome could echo Williams’ nightmare in Aberdeen.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.