Davis has been on probation since 2023 after pleading guilty to multiple traffic violations related to a 2020 crash in Baltimore in which his vehicle struck another vehicle, injuring four people. Davis left the scene before police arrived. The sentence includes probation, which remains in effect even after subsequent violations result in jail time.

These conditions are now pressure points. The Florida case reopens Maryland’s jurisdiction over Davis, allowing judges there to act independently of what happens next in Miami. The Florida charges include battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping. The alleged victim has also filed a civil lawsuit. Even before those issues are resolved, the mere existence of the arrest is enough to put Davis back under scrutiny by Maryland courts.

Davis’ attorneys asked the judge to vacate the arrest warrant and instead issue a summons to appear in court, complete with GPS monitoring. This requirement highlights the risks. Once probation is in effect, discretion shifts from promoters, networks and sanctioning bodies to the courts, which have shown limited patience with Davis’ compliance.

The knock-on effects are already evident. Davis’ planned exhibition fight with Jake Paul was canceled in November, costing him not only money but a high-profile Netflix presence. The WBA has since designated him the offseason champion of the 135-pound division, a status that would normally come before the titles are reassigned if the schedule continues to be pushed back.

Over the years, Davis’ legal troubles have coexisted with his boxing career, rarely being a deciding factor. This time is different. The Florida case is important primarily because it reactivated Maryland’s influence, turning an old probation sentence into a major hurdle that Davis now must clear before he can move forward.