Keyshawn Davis: If Gervonta 'Tank' Davis does fight Jake Paul, 'it's good for boxing'
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JULY 06: Keyshawn Davis reacts against Miguel Madueno of Mexico during their WBC Lightweight World Title fight at Prudential Center on July 06, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by)
Keyshawn Davis isn't holding out hope for a lightweight unification bout with Gervonta "Tank" Davis materializing anytime soon.
"I ain't going to lie, I think 'Tank' is just thinking on a different stratosphere right now. I feel like he's definitely chasing that Jake Paul fight," Davis told Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Wednesday.
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"'Tank' wants to just do things differently at this point. I don't think he really wants to fight us fighters ... I don't really think he's paying attention to us at this point. He's trying to get his rematch [with Lamont Roach] settled, get his respect back in the sport, and then go fight Jake Paul and maybe do an exhibition with a WWE fighter or whatever. He's trying to do things differently so he can get them real big paydays."
Rumors have floated for months about the possibility of a "Tank" vs. Paul exhibition bout later in 2025. The two sides were reportedly in talks for a match to take place after "Tank's" first fight with Roach, but plans were temporarily halted from the WBA champ's side in favor of pursuing a Roach rematch.
While many make the case that "Tank's" apparent lack of desire to face the top names in the red-hot 135-pound division is bad for the sport, the WBO lightweight champion has a different view on the situation.
"At the end of the day, man, we've been doing this for so long, we're in a position where we need to do what we want to do," Davis said. "We've been doing this for a long time, taking punches for a long time. It's not easy to go in there in front of millions of people and take punches. ['Tank'] earned the right to do what he wants to do. Outside of that, he and Jake Paul are going to bring so [many] eyes on the sport of boxing — I think it's good for boxing."
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When Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally hung up his gloves in 2017, "Tank" took over as the biggest American attraction in boxing. He's expected to rematch Roach on August 16 next in Las Vegas after their first fight ended in a controversial majority decision draw. In a bizarre moment in the ninth round, "Tank" took a knee so he could wipe his eyes after complaining that grease from his braids was bothering him. The rules of boxing are clear in not allowing timeouts, though, so the impromptu kneel-down should've been deemed a knockdown, which would've resulted in the round being scored 10-8 in favor of Roach — meaning Roach would've likely won the closely contested fight on all three judges' scorecards.
"Gervonta, he's running the show. It's his show," Davis said of the controversy. "So it's hard. At the end of the day, he's the cash cow when it comes to the [lightweight] division. That's just what [it is], he's running the show. It's going to take somebody to really beat him up or somebody to knock him out for you to get that win, because he's the cash cow. That's just how it goes in boxing, which is not right.
"[Lamont Roach] proved a lot of naysayers wrong. He proved all the critics wrong, and honestly, it's a real 50-50 fight going into the rematch. I just hope he gets a fair decision, even if it's a close decision."
Another rival WBO champ Davis believes isn't particularly keen to share the ring with him is the WBO's own super lightweight champion, Teofimo Lopez.
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After Lopez struggled in a title defense against Jamaine Ortiz in February 2024, Davis — the co-feature on the night — confronted Lopez from ringside about a future fight. Lopez was noncommittal to the matchup, citing Davis' lack of achievements in the sport as the reason.
The back-and-forth between the pair continued into the fight week of Davis' title challenge against Denys Berinchyk this past February, when Davis posted on social media that he received a package containing bananas and a watermelon at his hotel room. Shortly after, Lopez posted video of him watching Davis' press conference rant while eating a banana. Although Lopez didn't directly claim responsibility for sending the package, many — including Davis — assumed the post equated to an admission.
"First of all, Teo needs to stop being racist, period," Davis said. "His racist antics [are] disgusting. He made a tweet [apologizing] because Turki Alalshikh told him to make the tweet. The only reason I know that is because he put that in the tweet. It wasn't genuine. He just needs to stop the racist antics, that's number one.
"And honestly, he is ducking me. I can't speak on Devin [Haney's failed negotiations with Lopez], but he is definitely ducking me. Turki Alalshikh, I had a meeting with him and he put Teofimo on FaceTime, and Turki said, 'Yo, Keyshawn wants to fight you right here. Why do you keep bringing up [welterweight champ Jaron Ennis]?' Because [Lopez kept saying], 'Turki, you promised me [Ennis].' I'm on a FaceTime with him in front of Turki, saying, 'Yo Turki, you want us to fight? Let's fight. Let's make it happen.'
Keyshawn Davis punches Denys Berinchyk during their WBO lightweight title fight at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in February. ()
(Al Bello via Getty Images)
"He's like, 'No, no, no, I want to fight [Ennis].' That was very shocking to me, honestly, that he was so adamant [about] fighting 'Boots' over me for the same money, and it's going to be basically the same type of [fight]. He's definitely ducking me. I don't know why he's scared to fight me, but it is what it is."
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Before Davis can look toward any major names, he has a stern challenge in front of him on Saturday at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, where Edwin De Los Santos ends an 18-month layoff by challenging for Davis' WBO lightweight title. De Los Santos hasn't tasted action since a competitive unanimous decision loss to Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title in November 2023.
Stevenson's fight with De Los Santos largely failed to entertain, and the performance was subject to plenty of criticism, mostly stemming from Stevenson's safety-first approach in the bout. With 14 knockouts in his 16 professional wins, De Los Santos has a reputation for being a big puncher, and Stevenson was clearly wary of the Dominican's power in their fight.
"Heck no," Davis replied when asked if he was looking to one-up Stevenson's showing. "When I took this fight, it [had] nothing to do with nobody. I was just looking for an opponent, and Edwin De Los Santos called me out in the media, and I accepted his callout, honestly.
"When it comes to 'The Businessman,' I try to stop everybody — and that's what makes me exciting. I don't go there and try to box with you. I'm trying to stop you in the most high-value fashion. I always tell people around me, I'm not a fighter that likes to take damage. I don't take no damage. So if I can go in there and make you miss and make you pay and stop you, it's perfect.
"Every fight, I feel like it [puts] me a step closer to my first pay-per-view fight — to my first mega-fight when the whole entire world is watching," Davis added. "We just going to keep taking these steps. People are telling me that after I stop De Los Santos, this going to put me right [on top], 'You're really going to be that guy.' I don't really let none of that get to my head. I just keep fighting, keep knocking guys out, and whatever God's got for me, that's what it's going to be."
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