Keyshawn Davis Announces Break from Boxing
In a significant departure from his earlier schedule, Keyshawn Davis has announced that he will not be stepping into the boxing ring until 2026. This decision comes on the heels of a tumultuous period in his career, marked by his recent failure to make weight ahead of what was to be his first defense of the WBO lightweight title against Edwin De Los Santos on June 7 in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia.
Weight Issues and Title Loss
The weigh-in was an unsettling affair for Davis, as he came in an alarming 4.3 pounds over the limit, resulting in the loss of his championship title. Reflecting on the difficult week in a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Davis admitted to being “undisciplined” and “not being true to myself.” He expressed that he had been eager to defend his title at home, which led to his poor decision-making regarding weight management.
Struggles During Fight Week
Davis explained that during the fight week, he struggled significantly with weight-cutting, noting a stark contrast to his previous experiences:
“I was skinny as hell, dehydrated and stuff. It just didn’t turn out that way.”
In the aftermath of his weight miss, negotiations were made to allow the fight to proceed under a new agreement, a common practice in boxing where bouts sometimes go on even if one fighter fails to meet the weight class, primarily due to ticket sales and financial incentives.
Fight Cancellation and Mindset Shift
However, the fight was ultimately cancelled by De Los Santos’ promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, who cited safety concerns for the fighter due to the considerable size disadvantage Davis would have brought into the ring. Citing a similar situation from a previous match, Lewkowicz decided not to risk either fighter’s health.
“I was super cocky, arrogant,”
Davis said, acknowledging that he naively assumed De Los Santos would agree to fight, but after getting the news that the match was off, he felt a profound shift in his mindset. He noted,
“After I got that phone call that he wasn’t going to take the fight, something in me was just like, ‘Keyshawn, you’ve got to f—ing change, bro.'”
In a notable shift, he ended up attending the reworked event not as a competitor, but instead as a spectator to support his brothers Kelvin and Keon, who were on the undercard.
Public Scrutiny and Backstage Chaos
Davis found himself under scrutiny when he was caught on camera enjoying popcorn, which some interpreted as a sign of nonchalance about his situation.
“Coming from where I come from, I learned to build a barrier where I’d never let anything affect me,”
he stated in relation to the backlash he faced. In addition to his struggles, Davis faced another setback when he confronted Nahir Albright, who had just defeated his brother, resulting in allegations of an altercation between them—a claim Davis vehemently denied, stating that misunderstandings were blown out of proportion.
Later in the night, chaos erupted backstage, captured on ESPN cameras, necessitating police intervention to escort Davis out of the arena. Following these incidents, Davis has revealed that he is currently being investigated by the state of Virginia.
Taking a Break for Self-Improvement
Having battled mental health challenges in the past, Davis expressed the need for a break from boxing to refocus and take care of himself, stating he has refrained from training for two months. He hopes to return in a year’s time, committed to improving himself both as a fighter and as a person, determined to present a better version of himself when he returns to the sport.
