Keyshawn Davis starts his ascent to the top of the lightweight mountain when he meets WBO title holder Denys Berinchyk.
Davis, an Olympic silver medallist and 12-0 pro, appears to have all the makings of a future undisputed champion.
Mikey Williams/Top RankDavis and Stevenson are long-time friends and both box at lightweight[/caption]
‘The Businessman’ has excellent fundamentals, fast hands, plenty of power; and at 25 years old he has time on his side.
However, his chances of unifying all four belts at lightweight are limited by his refusal to face close friend and WBC champion Shakur Stevenson.
The pair have known each other since they were 14 years old and have been there for each other during their darkest hours.
Davis suffered from serious depression during his adolescence and was admitted to a mental health facility when he was 18.
Stevenson stuck by his side throughout the entire ordeal.
“No, I’d never fight him,” Davis told talkSPORT.com of a possible matchup with Stevenson.
“It’s definitely deeper. His mum is DMing me all the time.
“I’m about to spar his brother today, I know his entire family. I even know his sisters.
“I’ve known Shakur almost his entire life. I know his cousins.
“I know his whole entire family so it is not even all about Shakur.
Instagram – Keyshawn Davis But Davis insists they will never fight each other[/caption]
“At the end of the day, his family would be devastated if we fought.
“If we did I would have to look outside of the ring and see his brothers, his cousins, his mother, his auntie that I personally know.
“It would be weird, I would never fight him. I met Shakur when I was 14.
“He was there when I was in a mental home. He was calling me up, checking up on me.
“S*** he was there before I even went in there. I was telling him what I was thinking, what I was doing.
“He was there when you didn’t know me, he was there when no one was there.
“He has been there since the beginning and he has always believed in me.
“He has always said I am going to be the greatest and still to this day he is saying that.
“There is no hate in Shakur’s heart. He knows what I can become and what he can become.”
Davis and Berinchyk meet on an excellent Top Rank Valentine’s Day card at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The stacked bill includes the long-awaited return of Jared Anderson following his devastating defeat at the hands of Martin Bakole as well as fast-rising prospects Xander Zayas and Abdullah Mason.
Berinchyk won the red and gold strap by beating long-reigning super featherweight king Emanuel Navarrete in May and picked up an Olympic silver eight years before Davis did the same in Tokyo.
Davis is Berinchyk’s WBO mandatory and earned the distinction by beating Gustavo Daniel Lemos in November.
