The problem started in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. On June 6, Davis missed weight by 4.3 pounds for his main event bout with Edwin De Los Santos. The fight was canceled the next day. His WBO lightweight title was stripped before he reached the ring. What was supposed to be a comeback turned into a public humiliation.
Things escalated a few hours later. After watching his brother, Kelvin Davis, lose to Nahir Albright, Keyshawn was involved in a locker room match with the same opponent. The incident added another headline to an already out-of-control week.
Despite all of that, Davis has risen to the top. He will face Ortiz in a joint fight on January 31 at Madison Square Garden as part of the Ring 6 card. A high visibility opportunity, against a battle tested enemy, there is no room to hide.
Ortiz also represents Davis’ first fight at junior welterweight. But Davis is looking beyond the group. He made it clear that he sees himself moving up to 147, chasing big names and more paydays than living life at 140. That perspective is just research. If his mind is slipping in line, the performance must prove it.
Davis knows how quickly names change. At the Olympics, it was clear that Andy Cruz showed it. Now he is on trial again, this time as a professional with the power to lose.
“Keyshawn deserves this,” Andre Ward said It’s All Smoke. “He can’t be weak, he doesn’t have the wealth to win and he doesn’t look good.”
Roy Jones Jr. it was trivial. Most of the pressure, he said, was self-inflicted.
Ortiz wants to win. Davis needs more. And if he moves from here, those plans at 147 disappear quickly.