Coach Brian "BoMac" McIntyre has stirred the lightweight pot by declaring that Keyshawn Davis and Shakur Stevenson stand above Gervonta Davis at 135 pounds. He goes even further, suggesting that Keyshawn has enough "tools in the toolbox" to not only beat "Tank" Davis but to stop him in the later rounds. While BoMac's confidence may be sky-high, we remain skeptical, given Keyshawn’s limited experience and the fact he’s only been a pro since 2021.
Critics argue that Keyshawn isn’t getting the respect he wants because he fought a smaller, aging Denys Berinchyk, stopping him in four rounds last Friday. They see a massive size gap in his bouts, prompting talk of Keyshawn being a "weight bully" who should be competing at a much higher division than 135. BoMac dismisses such claims, insisting that both Keyshawn and Shakur have a versatile fighting style - far more versatile than Gervonta, who BoMac believes relies on one predictable approach.
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True recognition will come only after Keyshawn faces other top-level contenders like Andy Cruz, Ernesto Mercado, or Raymond Muratalla. Beating a 36-year-old, undersized Berinchyk doesn’t necessarily prove you’re on the same tier as a proven star like Tank. BoMac, meanwhile, sees nothing but upside for Keyshawn, going so far as to suggest he’d also outbox a veteran like Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Is it too soon to rank Keyshawn among the elites?
Keyshawn's career is available here.
Image Credit: Sky Sports