Keyshawn Davis has been clamoring for an opportunity to challenge for a world title, the time has now come, for him to show the world how great he truly is. This Friday, February 14th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Keyshawn will challenge undefeated WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk for the world title.
He’s prepared himself for this moment and wants nothing more than to become a champion. He now, however, has added motivation in what he believes was a targeted attack by the Berinchyk camp in the controversial package that was sent to his hotel room. A box of bananas and a watermelon.
Denys and his team have denied sending the package, “I don’t speak English, and I don’t write English. I saw his message on social media. It’s weird even to mention this. Some people with bad intentions looking for some hype made that.” Is what Berinchyk said through his translator. At today’s weigh-in, Berinchyk gave Keyshawn added fuel by pushing him off the stage while they were posing for the cameras. Keyshawn was visibly upset and chased Berinchyk backstage.
Keyshawn will seek revenge for the offensive and insulting behavior by the Berinchyk camp. The animosity between the camps was visible at the weigh-in as both cheered loudly for their fighter and mocked the opposing side. The bad blood between the camps has grown over the past few days. Davis must be cautious in not allowing his emotions to get the better of him by being overly aggressive; he must not expose himself and allow Denys to capitalize on offensive mistakes.
Berinchyk was a member of the now legendary Ukrainian Olympic team, which featured Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Oleksandr Usyk. All of whom captured world titles in their respective divisions. He, similarly to Keyshawn, captured the silver medal at the Olympics he competed in. He has the skills that can challenge the Norfolk native. As he stated at yesterday’s press conference, he’s competed in 355 amateur fights, 500 street fights, and one bare-knuckle fight, which he won. Denys is not about to lay down and coronate Keyshawn as the new champion. He will go out on his shield and will be Keyshawn’s toughest opponent to date.
Berinchyk has made it known that he intends to box strategically by utilizing movement. He’s stated that he’s worked more on his footwork than he has his punches, meaning he intends to box utilizing in-and-out movement. In his match against Yvan Mendy, he did just that by controlling range, feinting, and using lateral movement throughout the entire match. At 36, it may pose difficult to do against a 25-year-old with quick speed and power. Keyshawn also has a 3-inch reach advantage which he knows how to utilize to be effective. He also has one of the best trainers in boxing in BoMac McIntyre, and under his tutelage, he’s grown exponentially.
Having sparring sessions with the likes of Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson has aided in his development.
This will be an all-out war between two warriors who aren’t willing to cede to their opponent. For Berinchyk, he fights for his nation, knowing they will be watching, and wants to serve as inspiration for his countrymen. For Keyshawn, it’s his long-awaited coronation, and he must stay disciplined and resilient, for if he can, his dream of becoming world champion will become a reality. Berinchyk is not a precise puncher; he has a low connect percentage. If Keyshawn can exploit Berinchyk ‘s lack of accuracy and use calculated aggression, he will be the first to defeat the Ukrainian champion.
Last Updated on 02/13/2025
