Keyshawn Davis vowed to knock Edwin De Los Santos out, and also pushed his opponent after the latter touched his belt, when the pair went face-to-face at the final press conference ahead of their bout. The two fighters square off in the main event at Scope Arena in Norfolk, VA on June 7.
Unbeaten world champion Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) steps through the ropes in front of his hometown crowd. The 26-year-old puts his WBO lightweight on the line, defending the belt he claimed by knockout in the fourth round against Denys Berinchyk in February.
“I want him to say that he’s going to come here and win and try to take my strap,” Keyshawn Davis said on Thursday. “I didn’t pick him for him to not say stuff like that. I picked him because I know that he’s going to come to create a great fight for the fans that are coming out. And it’s going to be a great fight, but he’s not going to hear ‘And The New.'”
“He’s coming to fight and put on a performance because his last one was trash.”
“I knew I was a world champion going into the sport. A title just puts the icing on the cake. I know who I am with or without the belt. I’m the Businessman. I put on great fights. I put on great performances.”
“DB3 sold out the Scope last time, and we all weren’t world champions yet. They just know what we can do, and I know what I can do. I’m the Businessman. And I’m knocking out Edwin De Los Santos on Saturday.”
“Our coaches told us that they’d never seen us train this hard. Kelvin has a big fight coming up. Keon has an undefeated fighter coming up. I’m a world champion now, so I’m carrying things a lot differently now. Ya’ll are going to see Saturday night.”
Dominican De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) makes his first ring appearance in 20 months. In his previous outing in November 2023, the 25-year-old contender dropped a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson in his first bid to become champion.
“I had a health problem. I had a blood clot in my leg. Unfortunately, I had to be outside the ring for a long time because of that,” Edwin De Los Santos said.
“Nothing in life is easy. What comes easily goes away fast. We are doing something difficult, because one can become great through difficult things.”
“The result will be different this time because I defeated death. And after I defeated death, I know there is nothing bigger than that.”
“Everyone will hear the words ‘And The New!’ And it will be something great for me, my people in the Dominican Republic, and all the Latinos.”
Abdullah Mason faces Jeremia Nakathila in co-feature
The press conference also featured other fighters battling it out on the night. The co-feature is a lightweight bout between Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) of Bedford, Ohio against Jeremia Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs) of Namibia.
“Jeremia is a great fighter. He lets his hands go. He has 22 knockouts out of 26 wins. So he’s going to punch. He’s got a lot of power,” Abdullah Mason said. “So I’m going to stay focused and tight and get him out of there like the rest.”
“Everything is happening at its proper time. I’m just working my way up to Number 2. We’ve got somebody else ahead of me. I’m right there.”
“I’m going to do my thing and steal the show like I always do.”
Jeremia Nakathila said, “I’d been telling my promoter to make sure that if there is an opportunity to come back to the United States, he should take it. During that whole time, I have been training.”
“I understand that he is one of the best prospects in boxing. So I am grateful to be fighting him.”
“For me, there’s nothing new about fighting at this level. I have been fighting top guys. This will be no different. There’s nothing special about facing Mason. I’m just looking forward to Saturday.”
On Davis vs De Los Santos undercard
Headlining the Davis vs De Los Santos undercard, brother of Keyshawn Davis, Kelvin Davis (15-0, 8 KOs) takes on Philadelphia’s Nahir Albright (16-2, 7 KOs). The pair battle it out at super lightweight.
“We can tell that everyone is waiting for this fight. I’m going to show up and show out,” Kelvin Davis said.
“I love pressure. Pressure brings out the best in me. So if he acts up, he’s going to sleep.”
“Ya’ll are going to be waking him up. He’s too little. Come Saturday night, they’re going to be waking him up.”
“It’s nothing personal. He’s just a man in my way. It’s nothing personal. I’m trying to show this whole 140-pound division what it is.”
Albright hasn’t fought since facing Keyshawn Davis in October 2023. On the night of the event, Davis was announced the winner by majority decision, but the result was later overturned to a No Contest due to a positive test for marijuana.
“After the Keyshawn Davis fight, it was disappointing,” Nahir Albright said. “I had to go back home to Philly and go back to work. I’m a single dad. I had to provide for my daughter. And it was hard. But I’m here. I got through it. I stayed strong through it all. I continued to train. I just stayed positive through it all.”
“I remember when I was fighting Keyshawn, I was at the press conference. And Kelvin was like, ‘Say it with your chest!’ So it’s funny because it’s like a full circle moment. Now I get a chance to fight him because he was talking crazy. God has put him in front of me. And we’re going to see what’s up Saturday night.”
Another brother of Keyshawn Davis, Keon Davis (2-0, 1 KO) meets Boston’s Michael Velez-Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) at welterweight.
“I’m just taking things slowly. I’m doing things one day at a time. Step by step. I’m not trying to rush the process,” Keon Davis said.
“I feel like I’m better than ever. I fell out of boxing for about a year and a half. I got a few jobs and tried to figure myself out. But I realized that I have real talent in boxing. I couldn’t let that go down the drain. And I’m here now with my brothers.”
Plus, Troy Isley (14-0, 5 KOs) of Washington, D.C. goes up against Brazil’s Etoundi Michel William (16-1, 12 KOs) at middleweight.
“I’m locked in. I’m ready to go. I’m ready to show out. And I’m ready to show the middleweight division that I’m the king,” Troy Isley said.
“I’m not going to do too much talking. I’m going to let my work do it.”
Among other bouts featured on the Davis vs De Los Santos undercard, Tiger Johnson (15-0, 7 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio takes on Janelson Figueroa Bocachica (17-3-1, 11 KOs) of Detroit, MI at welterweight. As well, Euri Cedeno (11-0-1, 10 KOs) of the Dominican Republic and Abel Mina (18-3-1, 9 KOs) of Ecuador clash at middleweight.
Deric Davis (6-0, 6 KOs) of Fort Washington, MD and Naheem Parker (5-2, 2 KOs) of Camden, NJ go head-to-head at lightweight. The event opener pits debuting Patrick O’Connor of Prince George’s County, MD against Tennessee’s Marcus Smith (2-1, 2 KOs) at cruiserweight.