Boxer Gervonta Davis follows Muhammad Ali by converting to Islam as undefeated champ reveals his new name

BOXING superstar Gervonta Davis has changed his name after converting to Islam.

The controversial WBA (regular) lightweight champion made the decision to convert to the religion a while back.

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Gervonta Davis has converted to Islam[/caption]

AP

The boxing superstar has adopted the name Abdul Wahid[/caption]

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Boxing icon Muhammad Ali changed his name from Cassius Clay after converting to Islam[/caption]

Baltimore bruiser Davis completed his conversion to Islam at a Maryland mosque this past weekend.

And in a similar move to boxing icon Muhammad Ali, who was known as Cassius Clay before adopting Islam in 1964, Davis has now changed his name to Abdul Wahid.

After overseeing Davis’ Islamic testimony of faith, Imam Hassan Abdi told the Baltimore Banner: “The humility I get from him.

“And I was surprised meeting him, because I knew who he was but I wasn’t familiar to what extent — he was a very down-to-earth person.

“The conversation was about being the best version of what we can be as human beings.”

It’s not yet known if Davis has legally changed his name or whether he will fight under his new moniker.

Brutal knockout artist Davis has been blighted by controversy during his professional career.

But Abdi said of the southpaw: “At heart, he’s a good person, and I think he wants more. I think he wants more for himself, which is good.

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Gervonta Davis hasn’t fought since his seventh-round stoppage of Ryan Garcia in April[/caption]

“Him investing in the area, buying a block and trying to improve it for the residents there, I think all of that may be also an influence to hear something different.

“Islam, and I was telling him, religion makes us the best version of who we are, to be better human beings.

“We believe in one God and we worship him alone, and that brings accountability and responsibility for ourselves, and also trying to help others. And I think it resonated with him.”

Elaborating on Davis’ past indiscretions, Abdi: “We’re not perfect as human beings.

“We all go through challenges in life. It’s about having hope and not despairing.

“When we fall down — with him as a boxer, I told him, when you’re boxing, when a person goes down, you try your best to get back up.

“That’s like life. I think that you’re never going to be perfect overnight and we may never reach completion, but it’s about trying to be better.

“I see that he’s trying to be a better individual.”