Lightweight title shot vs. Berinchyk becomes personal for Davis
Apparent racial incident further motivates Keyshawn, who calls for a first-round knockout victory on Friday night
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Lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis, who has been widely viewed as a can’t-miss future champion during his rise and was the 2022 Fight Freaks Unite prospect of the year, heads into his first world title opportunity with an ideal scenario of how he would like the fight to go.
“I want to knock his ass out in the first round, make it quick and easy, man,” Davis told Fight Freaks Unite. “Not being a sore, my hands — just give me a first round knockout. Let’s go for it.”
Davis’ biggest fight so far will come when he challenges Denys Berinchyk for the WBO 135-pound title in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN tripleheader on Friday (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET; prelims on ESPN+, 5:15 p.m. ET) at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.
When Davis, who calls himself “The Businessman,” spoke of his perfect fight scenario he was laughing and smiling. But things have become more personal over the past couple of days that would make an early knockout even more satisfying for Davis.
That is because a box containing bananas and a watermelon was delivered to Davis’ hotel room this week with a note that read, “Here’s a snack for all those hight (sic) jumps. Stay energized Businesswom..”
Davis, who is Black, posted a photo of the box and note on social media and blamed Berinchyk for the tasteless and overtly racist act. Davis also posted his response: “Denys Berinchyk and his team sent this to my room. I never thought bro was racist but this fight just got more personal.” Davis ended the post with #firstroundKO.
