Keyshawn Davis Claims Lightweight Glory
Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) made a huge statement in just his 14th pro fight, knocking out Denys Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) with a body shot in the fourth round to claim the WBO lightweight world title. The fight, held at Madison Square Garden, came after some serious drama in fight week. Despite the tension, Davis stayed cool, calm, and collected, letting his fists do the talking.
The first two rounds were tricky for Davis as he had to deal with Berinchyk’s quick movement and awkward style. But by round three, Davis found his rhythm, timing Berinchyk with clean right hands. He dropped him with a left hook to the body, and in the fourth, he doubled down. As Berinchyk stepped in, Davis hit him with a right followed by another brutal left to the midsection, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.
Berinchyk tried to rise, but the ref stepped in at 1:45 of the fourth, putting an end to the fight.
Davis reflected on the win, “It was an amazing feeling. Right before I knocked him out, I was hearing the crowd saying, ‘Norfolk! Norfolk! Norfolk!’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to knock him out now! Boom!’”
And, boy, did he deliver.
Xander Zayas Dominates Slawa Spomer in Co-Feature
In the co-main event, Xander Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) took care of business in the ninth round, stopping Slawa Spomer (20-1, 11 KOs) to retain his regional titles. Zayas went to work early, chipping away at Spomer’s body, wearing him down throughout the fight. He picked his moment, and when Spomer left his body open, Zayas unleashed a brutal left to the liver that ended the night.
Zayas reflected, “I knew from the first round he’d wear down little by little. By the eighth and ninth, we stepped it up with the combinations, and we landed with more power to get the finish.”
Zayas is now eyeing a world title shot, saying, “I’ve passed every test. I’m ready for a world title now.”
Mielnicki and Coyle Battle to a Draw
It wasn’t all clear-cut victories, though. New Jersey’s Vito Mielnicki Jr. (20-1-1, 12 KOs) and Ireland’s Connor Coyle (21-0-1, 9 KOs) fought to a majority draw in a back-and-forth middleweight contest. Mielnicki pressed early, landing big shots, while Coyle came on strong in the middle rounds, landing slick counters and keeping Mielnicki on the defensive.
The judges scored it 96-94 for Mielnicki, but two others saw it as 95-95, meaning neither man walked away with a win.
Quick Hits: Knockouts, Stoppages, and More
- Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (1-0, 1 KO) made an explosive debut, knocking out Bryan Santiago (1-2-1) with a left uppercut in the first round at :59. The crowd went wild for the new face in the lightweight division.
- Abdullah Mason (17-0, 15 KOs) took another step toward contention with a fourth-round TKO over Manuel Jaimes (16-3-1, 11 KOs), battering him from pillar to post. Mason is no longer a prospect; he’s ready for a title.
- Rohan Polanco (15-0, 10 KOs) made quick work of Jean Carlos Torres (22-2, 17 KOs), stopping him in the second round. Polanco’s speed and power were too much for Torres.
- Keon Davis (2-0, 1 KO), Keyshawn’s younger brother, scored his first career stoppage victory, dropping Ira Johnson (3-3, 2 KOs) in the second round.
Heavyweight: Jared Anderson Returns with a Win
Jared Anderson (18-1, 15 KOs) bounced back from his first loss with a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over Marios Kollias (12-4-1, 10 KOs). Anderson looked sharp and in control, winning on all three judges’ cards: 99-91, 99-91, and 98-92.
Upset Alert: Juan Carlos Guerra Stuns Nico Ali Walsh
In an unexpected twist, Juan Carlos Guerra (6-1-1, 2 KOs) took down Nico Ali Walsh (11-2, 5 KOs) via six-round split decision. The scores were 58-56 for Guerra, with two judges seeing it the other way for Ali Walsh. A true upset!
FIGHT CARD:
- Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) vs. Denys Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) — WBO Lightweight World Title
- Xander Zayas (21-0, 13 KOs) vs. Slawa Spomer (20-1, 11 KOs) — Junior Middleweight Showdown
- Vito Mielnicki Jr. (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Connor Coyle (21-0-1, 9 KOs) — Middleweight Bout
- Juanmita Lopez De Jesus (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Bryan Santiago (1-2-1) — Junior Bantamweight
- Abdullah Mason (17-0, 15 KOs) vs. Manuel Jaimes (16-3-1, 11 KOs) — Lightweight
- Rohan Polanco (15-0, 10 KOs) vs. Jean Carlos Torres (22-2, 17 KOs) — Welterweight
- Keon Davis (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Ira Johnson (3-3, 2 KOs) — Welterweight
- Jared Anderson (18-1, 15 KOs) vs. Marios Kollias (12-4-1, 10 KOs) — Heavyweight
- Juan Carlos Guerra (6-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. Nico Ali Walsh (11-2, 5 KOs) — Middleweight
Xander Zayas is a true champion. His strategy was impeccable, and he showed great skills in breaking down Spomer. People who think otherwise are just not seeing the bigger picture of his tactical prowess in the ring.
I don’t think Keyshawn Davis is really that good. He just got lucky with a body shot. Berinchyk was just unluckly to not see it coming. Not saying Davis is bad but he ain’t the best either.