Gervonta Davis, the 29-year-old WBA World Lightweight titleholder, recently embraced Islam. Following the footsteps of boxing legends, he underwent a significant transformation. Drawing parallels with iconic figures like Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, Davis made a profound announcement of his conversion on social media.
The Baltimore Banner reported that the boxer solidified his commitment to Islam by performing the shahada. It is the Islamic testimony of faith, that marked a significant moment in his spiritual journey. In a symbolic gesture, Davis also announced his new Muslim name after converting to Islam. So what is it?
Is ‘Abdul Wahid’ the new name of Gervonta Davis?
To keep it short, yes. On December 24, Gervonta Davis, now Abdul Wahid, embraced his new faith, Islam, in Maryland. His chosen name translates to ‘The Servant of The One,’ a reflection of his commitment to his spiritual journey. The conversion ceremony, including the Islamic testimony of faith (shahada), was conducted under the guidance of Imam Hassan Abdi. He was surprised at Davis’s down-to-earth demeanor despite his renown.
The humility displayed by Davis left a lasting impression on Imam. Beyond the religious community, the boxing champion’s newfound faith has garnered support from the world of combat sports. With former WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack extending a warm welcome. Also, the UFC fighter Khamzat Chimaev addressed Davis with his new name as he welcomed him to the religion.
So now it’s to be seen, who’s a bigger inspiration for Davis? Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson. Both are Muslims but their practices are quite different. Tyson, in contrast to Ali, didn’t change his fight name to his Muslim name, i.e. Malik Abdul Aziz. He kept on being addressed as ‘Mike Tyson’. So will Davis do the same?
Will Davis be officially changing his name?
As of now, ‘Tank’ hasn’t shown any signs of getting his name changed to Abdul Wahid. He has announced his new name, however, he hasn’t expressed distress over the use of his old name. Moreover, even on his social media, there haven’t been any changes witnessed as such that could indicate his wish to be called by his Muslim name.
On his Instagram, his username remains the same: ‘gervontaa’. Even his name is unchanged, as it displays ‘Gervonta Davis’ written on his profile. Even on the X app, it’s no different. His username is still ‘Gervontaa’, while his name remains untouched. So most likely, Davis will be following Mike Tyson’s route and would continue to fight under his old name.
Or, he’s taking things a bit slow as he may be giving some time to his fans so that they can acclimatize to the changes gradually.
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.