Keyshawn Davis’ title fight against WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk will be concluded on February 14 at the Madison Square Garcia Hula Theater in New York. The theater has a seat of 5,600.
It is a meeting place. Keyshawn recently boasted of bringing a crowd of over 11,000 to his final fight against Gustavo Lemos on November 8th at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. This match being held in a smaller venue suggests that Top Rank wants more attention.
Norfolk isn’t exactly New York City when it comes to attracting worldwide attention. The downside of the event being held in New York is that if Keyshawn falters like he did at the 2020 Olympics and how he almost did against Nahir Albright, his stock will plummet.
Mike Coppinger reports that top-ranked Keyshawn (12-0, 8 KOs) and Berinchyk (19-0, KOs) are close to getting their fight done for February.
2012 Olympic silver medalist Berinchyk has recent wins over these fighters:
– Emanuel Navarrete
-Anthony Yigit
– Yvan Mendy
The way Berinchyk schooled Navarrete must have disappointed Top Rank because they put their bigger name on him, probably thinking he would win. He was exposed and now it’s Keyshawn’s turn and he’s nowhere near as big a star as Navarrete.
Promoter Eddie Hearn recently mentioned that he wants Berinchyk as a backup option if he can’t make it to a fight between WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson and WBA champion Gervonta Davis in 2025. Top Rank has come forward with Hearn and is putting their dude, Keyshawn, in with Berinchyk.
A quick track to the top
Three-year pro Keyshawn, 25, is being given a quick title shot by his promoters without having fought anyone who is not capable of earning the fight. He chose not to accept a challenge from his four-time conqueror Andy Cruz of Cuba, who refers to Keyshawn as “My son” due to his many victories. When asked about potentially fighting Olympic gold medalist Cruz in 2020, Keyshawn turned him down because he felt he wasn’t at his level.
Interestingly, Top Rank gives Davis a title shot ahead Raymond Muratallawho many fans feel is a better talent and far more entertaining to watch. Keyshawn is a mix of Shakur and George Kambosos with his fighting style. It’s not always entertaining.
“I think he’s more inclined to fight me,” Keyshawn said of Gervonta Davis. “He said in his own words that I look good out there. I look good. It is undeniable to the world that I do. I feel like a Davis vs Davis headliner is the PPV in itself.
“I feel like this guy is actually going to fight me. I feel like 2025 is going to be the year you’re going to see Davis vs. Davis. Just keep following us. Just keep following our career. My next fight is a great fight for my first world title.
“Me personally, I still have a lot to prove, but 2025, it should be big for ‘The Businessman.’ I think what impresses the most is with his knockouts,” Keyshawn said of what impresses him the most Tank Davis. “He has incredible power.
“Other than that, he’s showing he’s got the power to get you up there, but anything else I’ve seen before, I’d say. I feel like I’d give him his best fight next time. Me, I feel , that I’m his weakness,” Keyshawn said when asked what Gervonta’s weakness is.
Berinchyk is a tough fight for Davis because he is a very technical fighter who was coming off a 12-round split decision win over Emanuel Navarrete on May 18. If Keyshawn loses this fight, it will highlight Top Rank’s mistake in signing him over his conqueror, Andy Cruz, who repeatedly beat him like a drum in the amateurs.
Eyes on Gervonta
“Everything I do, what I bring from my press conferences, from my weigh-ins, from my energy. I am a younger fighter. My size. I just feel like me in general; how I fight is his weakness,” Keyshawn said of Tank.
“That’s definitely what we want to do. February is the month I’d say it’s going to happen. It looks like New York,” Keyshawn said of when he will fight WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk.
“It’s going to be a big year.”
Keyshawn Davis outlines his plans to enter 2025 with @MarkKriegel 👀 #NavarreteValdez2 pic.twitter.com/rDwRwR7FVy
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) 8 December 2024