Keyshawn Davis is on the rise. Last Friday, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the 25-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia, won a lightweight title in the third fewest fights in history, knocking out the previously undefeated 36-year-old Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk in the fourth round to tie Oscar De Hoya on the lofty list.
Only Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jimmy Britt, who fought in the early 1900s, had fewer fights before being crowned. (Britt did not officially win the title but is still credited by some boxing historians.)
Davis (13-0-1, 9KOs) achieved his status in just 14 bouts, knocking out Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) at 1:45 of the fourth round to win the championship. The power of Davis proved to be too much for Berinchyk, as he dropped him in the third round before finishing him off a round later. “It was an amazing feeling,” said Davis. “Right before I knocked him out, I was hearing the crowd saying, ‘Norfolk! Norfolk! Norfolk!’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to knock him out now! Boom!’”
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In the still divided sport of professional boxing in which matchups between the best fighters in or around the same weight class are increasingly rare, as promotion companies and managers are often at odds, Davis was clear about who he wants to fight next. “I want anybody who has the balls to step in the ring and fight me,” he said.. “There are two 135-pound champions that I would love to fight. If they have the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman,’ tell them to send me a contract, or I can send them one.” In his challenge, Davis was referring to Lomachenko, the IBF lightweight champion, WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis (no relation) and WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Tank Davis was unsuccessful in his quest to make a fight with Lomachenko, who turned 37 earlier this week. At this point in his career, the Ukrainian champion, who has lost to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, who last June was classified as the WBC “Champion in Recess” as he has taken time away from the ring, may not want to fight the young lions of boxing anymore.
Newark, New Jersey native Stevenson and Tank Davis is the fight to make. Stevenson was scheduled to battle Floyd Schofield in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this Saturday but Schofield pulled out due to illness. At AmNews press time Stevenson was seeking a replacement opponent.
As for Keyshawn Davis, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics lightweight silver medalist, despite his eagerness to step up in competition, he doesn’t appear to be ready for any of the other champions in the division yet, but he could be the future of it baring he moves up to another division. Saturday’s stacked card in Saudi Arabia includes Artur Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) defending his undisputed light heavyweight world championship against Dmitry Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs). Beterbiev edged out a 115-113, 116-112, and 114-114 win in their previous contest last October. In the co-main event, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs) will try to retain his title against Joseph Parker, who is 35-3 with 23 KOs.
