Cruz framed his view around Davis’ ability rather than the opponent.
“Keyshawn has a huge amount of talent,” Cruz said The Ring. “If he prepares well, he should win.”
Cruz kept his comments professional and made it clear that he was assessing Davis’ ability. He stopped short of offering anything beyond that.
Davis returns against Ortiz after nearly a year away, after a stretch that disrupted his plans and delayed his return.
A scheduled title defense was canceled after he failed to make weight. The night ended with a locker room incident that further damaged his standing and delayed his return.
These events continue to shape how Davis is viewed in the division. His ability and athleticism are not the problem.
It’s about control, discipline, and whether the lessons from that period have translated into changes that hold up under pressure.
Cruz did not suggest that these concerns have gone away. In earlier comments, he openly criticized Davis’ professionalism and actions, pointing to them as areas that needed work. While his tone has softened, the message remains intact. Talent has never been the problem.
Cruz’s history with Davis explains why he weighed in on the Ortiz fight at all. Ortiz isn’t treated as a secondary threat or a soft returner. Cruz described him as a technically sound fighter who requires focus and structure from the other corner.
Cruz also has a personal interest behind his comments. His repeated amateur victories over Davis have long been cited as proof of the difference between them. If Davis were to lose convincingly to Ortiz, especially in a one-sided battle, the discussion would shift around those wins. They would not disappear, but they would be viewed differently.
For Cruz, who builds his professional identity on lightweight, perception still carries value. Davis remains his most recognizable rival and the most obvious commercial opponent linked to his Olympic success. A setback for Davis complicates that path rather than strengthens it.
Cruz, meanwhile, has his own immediate task. He takes on IBF champion Raymond Muratalla in Las Vegas in a fight that directly affects the division’s hierarchy. That fight sits at the center of his near-term plans, but Davis continues to cross his career whether Cruz is looking for it or not.
A professional meeting between Cruz and Davis has not been finalized. Cruz acknowledged that Davis wants it, while also making it clear that weight and timing will have to change. There is no urgency in his comments, but there is no dismissal either.
Davis’ return against Ortiz is his first appearance in nearly a year. The night is watched closely for signs of change.
Cruz backs Davis on talent alone and leaves everything to how he performs on the night.
How Cruz’s comment is taken will depend on how Davis fares against Ortiz. The talent is obvious, but fans are still waiting to see it come clean on the night.
Ortiz enters the fight as a known quantity rather than an unknown test. He has shared the ring with elite opposition, including Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, and has built a reputation as a fighter who does not panic under pressure. His style is compact, disciplined and built to force exchanges on his terms.
That profile makes him a useful opponent to gauge where Davis is after the past year, especially in rounds where patience and decision-making matter more than speed or flash.
