Boxing star Gervonta Davis arrested on kidnapping charges after two-week manhunt

Gervonta Davis, a three-division world champion and one of boxing’s biggest stars, was taken into custody in Miami on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after police issued a warrant charging the boxer with assault, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident last fall.

Miami Gardens police said Davis was arrested after a multi-day surveillance operation in three counties coordinated by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. He was arrested without incident in the Miami Design District and transported to Turner-Guilford Knight Correctional Center late Wednesday night, authorities said.

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The warrant stemmed from a confrontation on Oct. 27 at a Miami Gardens strip club where a woman who had been in a relationship with Davis was working as a VIP cocktail waitress, according to police. Investigators said Davis confronted the woman inside the club, forced her into a back room and assaulted her before restraining her and escorting her out.

Davis allegedly grabbed the woman by the hair and throat while making threatening comments, then took her to the parking lot and released her, police reports state. The woman later sought help from colleagues and contacted police. Police documented her apparent injuries, including bruises on her arms, according to authorities.

The woman told investigators she first met Davis in 2022 and the two had an intimate relationship for several months in 2025. She said the relationship ended about a month before the alleged incident and that she had cut off contact with Davis.

In addition to reporting the incident to police, the woman filed a civil lawsuit against Davis, charging him with battery, false imprisonment and kidnapping. One of her attorneys said earlier this month that the police investigation was consistent with claims made in the civil complaint.

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“The investigation resulted in a judge signing an arrest warrant,” the attorney said in January. “This decision is consistent with the allegations made in the lawsuit.”

Attorneys representing the woman told the judge they tried multiple times to serve Davis with the civil complaint but were unable to locate him in the weeks after it was filed, court documents show.

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At a press conference announcing the arrest warrant on Jan. 14, Miami Gardens police characterized the case as a domestic violence incident and said detectives were actively working with federal authorities to find Davis. Police declined to provide further details Wednesday night, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

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Davis, 31, has been training in Miami last fall in preparation for a high-profile game in November at the Kasea Center. After the lawsuit became public, that match was canceled and he was later removed from the roster. His last appearance in the ring was in March, when he fought Lamont Roach Jr. to a controversial draw.

The arrest adds to a long list of legal issues Davis has faced throughout his boxing career. He faced multiple domestic violence-related charges in Florida and elsewhere, several of which were later dismissed. In 2023, Davis was sentenced to three years of probation and a period of house arrest in Maryland after being convicted of a hit-and-run in Baltimore.

It’s unclear whether the new charges in Florida will affect Davis’ probation status in Maryland or the schedule for any future games. Jail and court records did not immediately indicate when he was expected to make his first court appearance in Miami-Dade County.

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Miami Gardens police said the investigation is ongoing and declined further comment.

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