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Keyshawn Davis talks planned return, Shakur Stevenson, Vasily Lomachenko, and more

The young prospect talks about being on the fast track with Top Rank.

Keyshawn Davis says he hates to disappoint fans but he’ll never be fighting his ‘brother’ Shakur Stevenson

During an interview with Fight Hype, Top Rank prospect Keyshawn Davis talks about making his way back to the ring following an illness that knocked him out of his last scheduled fight, before going on to share his viewpoint on a few lightweight matchups should they come to pass. Check out some of what Davis had to say about some potentially big lightweight fights to be made.

Keyshawn Davis on his return from illness

“I’m just happy that I’m getting better now. My main goal is to continue to get better. It’s gonna be a process but I’m gonna be back in September. I’m up for the challenge, man.”

On if he’s content with how his career’s been handled thus far

“My career going great right now. And I feel like it is because how Top Rank is moving me. Outside of the ring I get a lot of attention when I’m not fighting. People coming up to me outside of my city in different states. Almost every time I leave the state now people come up to me outside of the state saying...’I’m so excited to meet you.’

“People be thinking I’m a real celebrity out here now, so Top Rank definitely moving me the right way. I only fight twice this year and people think I’m a celebrity already. So imagine when I’m 20 fights in, I’m gonna be that Top Rank superstar that they want me to be.”

On if the fame is getting to his head

“Nah, man. I’m Keyshawn Davis at the end of the day. I’m just gonna continue being who I am.”

On who he rates as the number one guy at lightweight

“I would say the top two respected right now is Tank and Devin Haney.”

On how he’d view a matchup between Tank and Haney

“I would see it being a trilogy for sure. And probably not necessarily being in the paperwork but because it is going to be a great fight that people want to see again. But how I see it playing out? I can see really like — I can see Devin Haney outboxing Tank for 12 rounds. But, shit, we can also see Tank knocking Devin out so I’m not really gonna pick for real because that’s a fight I’m really just gonna have to watch and see how it turn out.”

On being close with Shakur Stevenson and if they could ever fight

“I mean, with some of my peers I would say most likely. For sure, with some of my peers. But my brothers like Troy Isley, like Shakur Stevenson, and a handful of people I’m probably missing — but those two people right there, Troy Isley and Shakur Stevenson, I would never fight, ever. So sorry to say, fans, but it will never happen.

“When we in the ring we think about not necessarily killing someone but like really hurting them. And we turn into different people when we get in that ring, we not thinking about nothing else but hurting that dude. So I don’t want to be thinking that towards my brother. That killer instinct — you don’t want to kill your brother.”

On a potential fight between Stevenson and Vasily Lomachenko

“I mean, I seen them spar when Shakur was 19 years old...I was there when he was 19 years old going 12 rounds with Lomachenko. Like, 19 years old. I mean if you’re 19 years old going 12 rounds with Lomachenko back then, that speaks for itself. He wasn’t getting beat up for a whole 12 rounds because in sparring you’re not going 12 rounds just getting beat up, they gonna switch out opponents. He went a full 12 rounds with Lomachenko in the sparring match — it speaks for itself.”

On if he sees a scenario where he fights Lomachenko

“Hell yeah. Before he retire, I already said I want to fight Lomachenko. When I first got signed I told Bob Arum, ‘don’t let Lomachenko retire without fighting me.’ I want to fight Lomachenko.”

On how soon he sees himself winning a world title

“Me believing in myself, I feel like I can win a title next year, like December time, or early January. But realistically I probably ain’t gonna win the title until about the next year after, realistically. But I can see myself winning a title next year.”

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