WBA president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza confirmed the change, ending a title run that in one form or another spanned more than four years. Davis only held a secondary version of the WBA lightweight belt in December 2019. He was elevated to full champion in early 2024, although his time as an active titleholder at that level was short.
The WBA’s executive committee is now expected to decide whether to authorize a vacant lightweight title fight. The intent is to keep the division from stalling while Davis’ availability remains uncertain. Under the recess designation, Davis holds a technical link to the title, but no longer occupies the active slot needed to anchor the weight class.
Davis is currently wanted by Miami Gardens police as part of an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. He faces charges including battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping stemming from allegations involving his ex-partner at her workplace on October 27. A related civil lawsuit was filed soon after. The legal process, rather than any boxing schedule, now determines his short-term future.
The fallout has already reshaped his schedule. Davis was removed from a planned crossover match with Jake Paul scheduled for November in Miami after the event was canceled. He has not fought since a March 1 majority draw with Lamont Roach Jnr in Brooklyn. A proposed rematch last summer never materialized, and a planned August pay-per-view card was later canceled entirely.
If the WBA continues with a vacant title fight, Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi stand as the top two available contenders. Schofield is promoted by Golden Boy, while Bahdi is aligned with Most Valuable Promotions. Both camps have expressed interest in fighting for the belt if it becomes available.
Mendoza stated that Davis will be allowed to present his case once more information becomes available. For now, however, the WBA has chosen action over waiting. Given how infrequently Davis has been in the ring in recent years, the belt moving on without him feels less sudden than inevitable.
