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When his social media followers requested final Saturday night time, Keyshawn Davis dismissed the concept of combating newly topped IBF mild welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins.
Richardson could be pure bother attributable to his boxing expertise, energy, pinpoint accuracy, and his mobility. His ring IQ is on one other degree than Keyshawn’s, and he’s able to beating him like Cuba’s Andy Cruz did 4 occasions up to now.
The light-weight contender Keyshawn (12-0, 8 KOs) feels that he’s above Hitchins (19-0, 8 KOs) because of the current turnout of followers for his final combat on November eighth in opposition to Gustavo Lemos on the Scope Enviornment in Norfolk, Virginia. The attendance for Keyshawn’s homecoming combat in opposition to the sunshine welterweight Lemos was 10,568.
The Businessman’s Technique
Davis sees the attendance numbers and his second-round knockout win over Lemos (29-2, 19 KOs) as indications that he’s one of many “elites” within the 135-lb division. Nonetheless, the 5’5″ Lemos seemed weight-drained after being hand-picked by Davis for this combat. That efficiency solely confirmed that Keyshawn might be a drained, sluggish, tiny fighter that doesn’t belong combating at 135.
Keyshawn may have chosen light-weight contender Andy Cruz, a fighter with a 4-0 report in opposition to him from the amateurs, together with within the 2020 Olympic finals, however he wished Lemos. Curiously, he was coming off a loss to Hitchins on April sixth.
As a substitute of Davis taking up Cruz, he selected a not too long ago overwhelmed fighter, and now he’s classifying himself as one of many “elites” at 135. Here’s a traditional instance of matchmaking 101: making a manufactured star. You possibly can’t blame Keyshawn for the hustle. The followers are those that may’t see what’s taking place.
Hitchins seemed superb final Saturday night time on December 7, outboxing mild welterweight champion Liam Paro (25-1, 15 KOs), successful a 12-round cut up choice on the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The scores had been 116-112, 116-112 for Hitchins, and 117-111. I had it 10-2 for Hitchins.
“Y’all keep talking about Hitchins. F*** Hitchins. I don’t care about him,” mentioned Keyshawn Davis on social media final Saturday following Richardson Hitchins’ masterclass efficiency in opposition to IBF mild welterweight champion Liam Paro in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Bro already is aware of what it’s on the subject of me. I’m 12-0, with eight knockouts, about to combat for a world title [against WBO 140-lb champion Denys Berinchyk], 13-0. I’m knocking individuals out, placing on insane performances, promoting out arenas with 10,000 followers [Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia].
“What can you say, bro? 11,000 fans. Y’all can’t really say too much. That’s what I’m saying,” mentioned Davis.
Keyshawn says he’s going to be combating WBO light-weight champion Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) subsequent in February. That man is perceived because the weakest hyperlink among the many champions at light-weight, however he’s received a great likelihood of beating Keyshawn. As we noticed in Davis’ combat in opposition to Nahir Albright, he’s nonetheless the identical fighter that Cruz beat within the Olympics. He hasn’t improved in any respect.
Keyshawn’s success since turning professional in 2021 is a product of sentimental Berlanga-esque matchmaking and his being larger than the blokes he’s been combating.
Is Keyshawn An Elite?
“I proved that I’m with the elites. I’m not just a fighter out here making noise. I’m with the elites,” mentioned Keyshawn to Mark Kriegel of ESPN. “I also sell. There were 10,000 fans, and all 10,000 fans got a good view of who ‘The Businessman’ was that night,” mentioned Davis about his win over Lemos on November eighth in Norfolk.
Promoting 10,000+ tickets doesn’t imply that Keyshawn is a star. It simply signifies that Norfolk followers are prepared to come back to look at him combat, which can replicate that being a city with little leisure in comparison with the large cities.
If Davis had been from Los Angeles or New York, he wouldn’t attract these cities as a result of there are too many different sources of leisure for followers. You need to produce in these areas or have a tremendous Ryan Garcia-like following on social media.
