Light-weight contender Keyshawn Davis predicts his struggle in opposition to Miguel Madueño might be an “action-packed” one of their ten-round contest on Saturday evening, July sixth, on the Prudential Heart in New Jersey.
Davis (10-0, KOs), who’s coming off a sixth-round knockout win over 35-year-old veteran Jose Pedraza earlier this 12 months on February eighth on the Extremely Area in Las Vegas, needs to make a press release in opposition to Madueño (31-2, 28 KOs).
A Stepping Stone for Davis?
Keyshawn vs. Madueño might be combating on the undercard of Shakur Stevenson vs. Artem Harutyunyan. The occasion might be proven dwell on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT.
Madueño misplaced a large ten-round unanimous choice to Steve Claggett on November 14, 2023, in Montreal, Canada. The struggle was not shut, as Claggett received virtually each spherical.
That provides one a sign of what Saturday’s struggle between Keyshawn and Madueño is all about. It’s one other rank-building struggle for Keyshawn, however it is not going to put together him to dethrone the champions at 135, Shakur, Gervonta Davis, Vasily Lomachenko or Denys Berinchyk.
Keyshawn seems to be like a full-fledged 140-pounder, and it’s unclear why he’s selecting to remain at 135 as a result of he’s big for the division. He’s mates with Shakur, so he in all probability won’t ever struggle him, and he might by no means get an opportunity to face Tank Davis or Lomachenko. These are dangerous match-ups for Keyshawn. Lomachenko will retire with out combating Keyshawn, and Tank may transfer as much as 140 in two or three fights.
Andy Cruz is ranked excessive within the 135-pound rankings, and Keyshawn has already misplaced 4 instances in opposition to him within the beginner ranks. No matter title Keyshawn may hope to seize at light-weight, he received’t maintain onto it for lengthy if Cruz turns into necessary.
Prime Rank clearly is aware of Keyshawn’s limitations, in order that they’ll probably stall the Andy Cruz struggle out for so long as humanely doable to maintain the inevitable from occurring.
Berinchyk is the one one which Keyshawn would have an opportunity of beating, however that’s a tricky struggle for him, and he may lose that, too. If Prime Rank waits for the 36-year-old Berinchyk out till he ages extra, Keyshawn may have the ability to beat him, however not now.
“I all the time knew I used to be going to be on this place. So, it’s probably not a giant deal for me,” stated Keyshawn Davis to Prime Rank Boxing speaking about being a contender at light-weight, however nonetheless not having overwhelmed anybody but.
Keyshawn doesn’t say what he means by being “on this place.” So far as I can inform, Keyshawn is one in every of many contenders, and he’s ranked under #1 William Zepeda and #2 Raymond Muratalla. He’s not going to beat these guys, and it will be a nasty concept for Prime Rank to place Keyshawn in with them.
“I knew I used to be a gifted child, and I knew I used to be a gifted teenager. Proper now, I’m simply working to turn into a world champion. I don’t actually care about being a rising star,” stated Keyshawn.
Keyshawn has plenty of work to do to catch as much as these gifted fighters: Abdullah Mason, Andy Cruz, William Zepeda, Muratalla, and Scholfield. Keyshawn is an effective fighter, however his fundamental asset at 135 is his colossal dimension.
He’s a 140+ pounder who’s combating under his weight class. In different phrases, Keyshawn is a weight bully, and that helps, however he can’t make a profession out of that until he needs to kill himself, making weight for the subsequent ten years.
Nahir Albright already uncovered Keyshawn final October; I feel that’s the explanation why Prime Rank slowed his improvement by pulling him backward to face Pedraza slightly than matching him in opposition to one in every of these contenders: Andy Cruz, Muratalla, William Zepeda, or Floyd Schofield.
They know what they obtained in Keyshawn, they usually’re to not spoil him by placing him in a struggle he can’t win. Once more, Keyshawn ought to transfer up and go after WBO gentle welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez as a result of he’s displaying indicators of decline. Keyshawn would have a great likelihood of beating Teofimo if his chin holds up.
Madueño’s Energy
“He’s a really aggressive fighter, and he’s relentless,” stated Keyshawn about his opponent Miguel Madueño, who he faces in a ten-round undercard struggle this Saturday evening on the Prudential Heart in Newark.
Madueño, 25, does have sufficient energy to knock out Keyshawn if he can join with one thing massive. Albright had Keyshawn harm, and he’s nowhere close to the puncher that Madueño is.
“I can hit him with a great shot, and I can nonetheless see him attempt to come and get hit and get his pictures off. I feel this struggle goes to be an actual action-type struggle. I’m going to complete it,” stated Keyshawn.
