Press Conference Notes & Photos: Keyshawn Davis Returns Home for Inaugural World Title Defense at Norfolk’s Scope Arena
Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) returns to Norfolk’s Scope Arena this Saturday, June 7, to defend his WBO lightweight world title against heavy-hitting Dominican contender Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs).
Keyshawn captured the crown in February with a dominant fourth-round stoppage of Denys Berinchyk. Three months earlier, he electrified the Norfolk crowd with a second-round obliteration of Gustavo Lemos before a sold-out crowd of 10,568.
Now, he’s back to defend his title in front of his hometown faithful.
In the 10-round co-feature, 21-year-old lightweight sensation Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) looks to continue his meteoric rise against battle-tested Namibian puncher Jeremia Nakathila (26-4, 21 KOs).
Keyshawn-De Los Santos and Mason-Nakathila will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 5:10 p.m. ET/2:10 p.m. PT and includes the rest of DB3 in action, with Keyshawn’s older brother Kelvin “Nite Nite” Davis (15-0, 8 KOs) facing Nahir “Woo” Albright (16-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round junior welterweight bout.
Keon Davis (3-0, 2 KOs), the youngest of the fighting trio, will face fellow unbeaten prospect Michael Velez-Garcia (3-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder at welterweight.
Additionally, unbeaten middleweight Troy Isley (14-0, 5 KOs) puts his NABO championship on the line against once-beaten Etoundi Michel William (16-1, 12 KOs) in a 10-round tilt.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Sampson Boxing, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com (https://TopRank.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aa1ae9f9e3c18dcf7df10dda1&id=478051ea3d&e=ae69d13328) .
At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters said:
Keyshawn Davis
“I want him to say that he’s going to come here and win and try to take my strap. 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 see 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.”
Edwin De Los Santos
“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.”
“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
“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. 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
“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.”
Kelvin Davis
“We can tell that everyone is waiting for this fight. I’m going to show up and show out.”
“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.”
Nahir Albright
“After the Keyshawn Davis fight, it was disappointing. 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.”
Troy Isley
“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.”
“I’m not going to do too much talking. I’m going to let my work do it.”
Keon Davis
“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.”
“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.”
Saturday, June 7
ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)
Keyshawn Davis vs. Edwin De Los Santos, 12 Rounds, Keyshawn’s WBO Lightweight World Title
Abdullah Mason vs. Jeremia Nakathila, 10 Rounds, Mason’s NABO & NABF Lightweight Titles
ESPN+ (5:10 p.m. ET/2:10 p.m. PT)
Kelvin Davis vs. Nahir Albright, 10 rounds, Vacant Silver WBC US Junior Welterweight Title
Tiger Johnson vs. Janelson Bocachica, 10 rounds, Welterweight
Troy Isley vs. Etoundi Michel William, 10 rounds, Isley’s NABO Middleweight Title
Keon Davis vs. Michael Velez-Garcia, 6 rounds, Welterweight
Euri Cedeño vs. Abel Mina, 10 rounds, Middleweight
Deric Davis vs. Naheem Parker, 6 rounds, Lightweight
Patrick O’Connor vs. Marcus Smith, 4 rounds, Cruiserweight
