Two unbeaten fighters, both Olympic silver medallists, each with a very real hunger and desire to get the win, and not only that but, become a great in the sport. This Friday night in New York, we will get such a matchup. Boxing at 135 pounds, with the WBO belt on the line, defending champ Denys Berinchyk, 19-0(9), will face Keyshawn Davis, 12-0(8), and fans are expecting an interesting, possibly explosive fight.
Davis of Virginia is especially excited that his first shot at becoming a world champion will play out at Madison Square Garden – “It’s legendary,” Davis said of the iconic venue. Davis, who would have won Olympic gold were it not for his amateur nemesis Andy Cruz, who surely Davis will have to meet again in the pros at some stage, is one of the most naturally talented young fighters on the scene today. Big things are expected of the 25-year-old.
But Berinchyk, much the older man at age 36, is not in any way intending to allow Davis to shine at his expense. Berinchyk, who defeated Emanuel Navarrete to win the vacant WBO belt in May, will not want to lose the strap without having logged up some retentions. Davis, who is coming off a win over an over-the-weight Gustavo Daniel Lemos this in November, is full of confidence he will indeed go home with the belt on Friday and then into some huge fights. Davis called out Berinchyk after stopping Lemos in a couple of rounds, and now he has got the fight he called for.
But who wins? Who will lose their ‘O?’
The win Berinchyk scored over Navarrete was not a great fight to watch, and Berinchyk is no massive puncher. To some fans, Davis is simply the faster, harder-hitting, more explosive fighter here. Maybe he is. But something tells me Berinchyk will not go quietly on Friday.
Davis wants mega fights with the likes of Tank Davis, but first he has to bag that initial world title. Can he do it? Davis is the pick to win here, but he may have to go the full 12 rounds to take that WBO belt. A Davis KO win over Berinchyk would be quite the impressive result.