Keyshawn Davis gained his first world title final Friday evening, beating WBO light-weight champion Denys Berinchyk by a fourth-round knockout in a High Rank present on ESPN at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York.
The Straightforward Route
The 2020 Olympic silver medalist Davis hasn’t proven any motivation to take dangers together with his profession. He refused to combat Andy Cruz and confirmed little interest in transferring up in weight to 147, 154, or 160 to get the fights that will improve his star energy sooner. He’d slightly keep at 135, hand-picking delicate opposition like Denys Berinchyk, Miguel Madueno, and Jose Pedraza.
Keyshawn lacks the risk-taking we noticed from previous greats like Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. These fighters have been already taking huge dangers effectively earlier than they reached 25. Leonard’s first combat towards Hearns was at 25.
By the point Sugar Ray was Keyshawn’s age, he’d already fought these skills:
– Roberto Duran
– Wilfredo Benitez
– Andy Worth
It’s exhausting to respect Keyshawn Davis and look at him as a future face of boxing as a result of he lacks the braveness to take dangers. Once more, he gained’t even combat Andy Cruz, and desires no a part of combating another harmful fighters at 135. Don’t point out him transferring as much as 154 or 160, the place he ought to be, as a result of he gained’t do it.
Some informal boxing followers consider Norfolk, Virginia native Keyshawn is destined to be the following huge star within the sport. Nevertheless, he seems to be taking Adrien Broner’s route of taking simple fights, successful titles towards beatable champions, and producing curiosity by trash-talking.
Keyshawn follows AB’s blueprint to the T, giving numerous interviews and appearing up. However then, he by no means fights anybody harmful. He’s trailing Broner, who captured his first world title at 22 and rapidly accrued one other three with cautious matchmaking. He made some huge cash and spent so much. Davis may be that sort of fighter.
“Keyshawn Davis at 25 years younger after what he did on Friday, beating Denys Berinchyk after the truth that he had 14 fights on his resume [correction: 13],” mentioned Ariel Helwani to DAZN Boxing, praising Keyshawn Davis for his win final Friday evening towards Denys Berinchyk.
“He’s a silver medalist in 2020. He’s turning 26 later this month with a smile that may mild up a room. He has a narrative that may carry any dry eye to tears with charisma, talent set, and athleticism that each boxer on the planet goals of. I really feel this may very well be a future Face of Boxing.”
The issue that Keyshawn has that might stop him from turning into the ‘Face of Boxing’ is that he’s rapidly outgrowing the light-weight division. He’s unlikely to get a combat towards Gervonta Davis or Vasily Lomachenko at 135. These guys aren’t going to wish to be a stepping stone to a big light-weight who seems to be like a junior middleweight after he rehydrates.
If Keyshawn strikes as much as 140, there’s just one widespread fighter in that division, Teofimo Lopez, and he’s by no means proven any curiosity in combating him.
Empty Achievements
“That’s their factor. I feel Keyshawn took the simplest route, and everyone is aware of that. Come on now,” mentioned Floyd Schofield Sr. to MillCity Boxing about Keyshawn Davis selecting WBO light-weight champion Berinchyk to seize a belt at 135.
“You wish to take a straightforward belt after which run up and take one other simple belt. He’s into that. That’s a YouTube fighter. That’s not a legacy fighter. What Keyshawn is doing is seize a bell and soar up and combat one other simple belt. ‘I don’t care about undisputed. I’m simply going to seize a belt and run.’”
Keyshawn has been upfront about his objectives within the sport – earn cash. He calls himself ‘The Businessman’ and has been selectively matched by his promoters at High Rank. Davis doesn’t wish to combat Andy Cruz, a fighter who beat him 4 instances within the amateurs. The one dangerous identify that he needs is Gervonta Davis, and that’s clearly due to the enormous payday he’ll get combating him
