A party broke out Saturday afternoon in the West Baltimore neighborhood of Upton. Hundreds of kids gathered on the outdoor basketball courts of the Robert C. Marshall Recreation Center, where they received new backpacks, competed in dance-offs and slurped snowballs that turned their lips red and purple. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

In the past, world champion boxer and West Baltimore native Gervonta “Tank” Davis has appeared at the annual back-to-school festival, hosted the last four years by the nonprofit Unlimited Potential. Davis’ GTD Cares Foundation and the retailer DTLR partnered this year to distribute 350 pairs of sneakers to local kids, who also received free school supplies, pizza slices and scoops of ice cream.

This year, Davis didn’t show. The World Boxing Association lightweight champion spends most of his time in Florida, as he tries to distance himself from a string of run-ins with the law, his longtime trainer, Calvin Ford, said.

“We don’t let him come as much as he used to,” said Ford, who began training Davis in the Upton Boxing Center when the boxer was 7. “Every time he comes, something crazy happens.”

In 2023, Davis pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a hit-and-run in downtown Baltimore that injured four people, including a pregnant woman. A judge sentenced Davis to home detention and three years’ probation. But, after violating the terms of his sentence, Davis served six weeks in jail.

Davis’ legal troubles have followed him to Florida. He was charged in July with battery after allegedly assaulting an ex-girlfriend. The case was dropped this month after the woman declined to prosecute.

Davis last fought in March, narrowly holding on to his lightweight belt against challenger Lamont Roach Jr. The controversial bout ended in a majority draw but only after the referee declined to count Davis’ ninth-round kneeldown as a knockdown, a ruling that spared Davis the first loss of his career. He owns a record of 30-0-1 with 28 knockouts.

Fans speculated that a rematch against Roach was forthcoming. Then came a surprise announcment: Davis would instead face YouTuber Jake Paul in a Netflix-streamed bout Nov. 14 in Atlanta.

Davis and Paul are two of the biggest names in boxing but seemingly share little in common besides that. Paul is an influencer-turned-prizefighter whose highest-profile bout came last November against 58-year-old Mike Tyson, a match best remembered for Netflix’s streaming glitches. Paul typically fights around 200 pounds. Davis, meanwhile, is an undefeated world champion who fights around 135.

The obvious discrepancies have raised questions over whether the matchup is a fight or a spectacle. Ford said Davis saw the fight as “a great opportunity.”

“It’s on Netflix — it’s a no-brainer," the trainer said.

Rumors have also swirled that the 30-year-old Davis is nearing retirement. Last year, he admitted he was fed up with boxing and said he planned to leave the sport soon to seek therapy.

Some view the Paul fight as evidence Davis is moving on from serious competition. Ford acknowledged the boxer’s future is up in the air.

“He’s been doing this since he was 7 years old,” Ford said. “At some point, you have to take some time. He’s got kids. Man, he has a family. He’s enjoying life. Sometimes you’ve got to take a break and get away.”

Inside the rec center, Ford looked on as representatives from Davis’ foundation handed out orange boxes of Nikes to a line of eager children, hip-hop beats thumping in the background.

Haneef Hardy, founder of Unlimited Potential, said the partnership with the GTD Foundation shows Davis remains connected to those working to improve life in West Baltimore. Now, though, he maintains that connection from afar.