AFTER consistent success in the amateurs, Keyshawn Davis has been fast-tracked in the professional game and will now challenge for the lightweight world title in just his 14th contest since turning over.
Ahead of the bout, Davis, 12-0 (8 KOs, 1 NC), has predicted a similarly ‘crazy knockout’ to the one he delivered in his last outing but reassured his fans that he will not be looking past Denys Berinchyk, 19-0 (9 KOs), when he faces the WBO champion on February 14.
Davis picked up silver medals at the 2019 Pan American Games, 2019 World Championships and 2020 Tokyo Olympics as an amateur, losing out in each of those finals to well-documented rival, Andy Cruz, 5-0 (2 KOs).
However, Davis’ rise in the professional ranks may see him finally achieve gold, with a second-round knockout of Gustavo Lemos back in November earning him a shot at Berinchyk’s title.
The Ukrainian overcame three-division world champion Emanuel Navarrete, 39-2-1 (32 KOs), by split-decision when they collided for the vacant belt last May. Eight months’ later and his first defence comes against Davis.
Despite being champion, Berinchyk will step through the ropes as a sizeable underdog come fight night, with a heap of American expectancy placed upon the shoulders of the 25-year-old challenger.
Speaking with Boxing News, Davis showed respect for his opponent and shunned the idea of this being a relatively easy opportunity to become a world champion.
“I’m really excited, MSG, Madison Square – New York is my second home; I got family out there, so I am ready to turn up for them.
“Hell nah, [this is not an easy world title shot]. This guy is undefeated, and at the end of the day, nobody wants to lose their ‘0’. He is coming off of his biggest win, he beat Navarrete when nobody expected him to win, he is an Olympic silver medallist, and he has got more experience than me.
“This is no vacant title. I have got to go and get that title and take it from him. He is not just going to lay down and let me take it from him, so this is definitely a great fight stylistically and something that the whole boxing world should be watching.”
Yet, in spite of the praise for Berinchyk, Davis went on to predict a ‘crazy knockout’, whilst explaining why he refuses to ‘belittle himself’ and name a target opponent for the fight that follows.
“I can only think about my world title, man. Depending on how crazy I knock Berinchyk out, I am going to be one of those big names that people want to get into the ring with. So, I’d be belittling myself if I said ‘oh, I want to fight this big name’ because I can become that [big name] on February 14 and I believe that I am [going to].”
Also on the February 14 card are prospects Xander Zayas, 20-0 (12 KOs), Jared Anderson, 17-1 (15 KOs), and Abdullah Mason, 16-0 (14 KOs).
