‘He’s in your head’: Eddie Hearn taunts Keyshawn Davis about Andy Cruz

Promoter Eddie Hearn says he spoke to Keyshawn Davis last night and was “getting fired up” about Andy Cruz after the Cuban talent’s win over Omar Salcido at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)

Hearn reminded Keyshawn that he fought Cruz four times in the amateurs and lost each time. He told Davis that he was a “mental block” of those losses and is haunted by the memories. It did something to him.

5-0 and a nightmare

2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) is fast-tracked to a world title and matched up against talented opposition to quickly earn himself a belt.

He made Salcido (20-2, 14 KOs) look easy last night, defeating him by a 10-round unanimous decision by scores of 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92. Salcido is a very good fighter, but he was out of his league against Cruz.

“I was winding up Keyshawn. i like him He said: ‘You know I beat him (Andy Cruz). You know I beat him.’ I said, ‘Matie, he’s in your head. You have a mental block with Andy Cruz. You know you can’t beat him. You fought him four times, and you never beat him.’ “Well, it was in the amateurs.” “Look, you’re angry again.” I was just winding him up,” said Eddie Hearn iFL TVDiscusses his conversation with Keyshawn Davis about how problems with Cuban talent Andy Cruz.

“Andy is brilliant. I think people forget how good Salcido was too. I think he’s going to get better and better against better opposition,” Hearn continued about Cruz. “I think sometimes he switches off when he gets bored when he knows how easy it is, and he’s just really, really good.

“The IBF,” Hearn said when asked where he was moving Cruz. “If Loma retires, it’s going to be Abdullaev against Muratalla, where it is for the interim anyway, and Andy is next in line.”

Andy Cruz vs. the winner of the Raymond Muratalla vs. Zaur Abdullaev would be a good fight, but it wouldn’t be any more competitive than last night’s opponent, Omar Salcido. Muratalla is only a slugger with one weapon, his right hand. Cruz would school him.

Abdullaev would be no competition. They might as well hand the IBF belt to Cruz if he faces the winner of the Muratalla vs. Abdullaev fight. Top Rank will likely resist letting Muratalla fight Cruz if he gets his hands on the IBF belt.

“It depends on Keyshawn Davis,” Hearn said when asked how far along a fight between Andy Cruz and Keyshawn is. “Keyshawn is going to fight (WBO lightweight champion Denys) Berinchyk (next). This is an easy battle. So, he wins it and becomes the WBO world champion.

“Tell me another fight in the lightweight division outside of Tank. He’s 140 pounds,” Hearn said when the interviewer brought up Teofimo Lopez’s name as an option for Keyshawn to fight after capturing the WBO lightweight title from Berinchyk on Feb. 14.

Ducking Cruz?

It’s the same thing with the Muratalla-Abdullaev fight. Top Rank promotes Keyshawn Davis, and they’re not going to let him fight Andy Cruz, knowing that his chances of losing will be high. They are trying to turn Keyshawn into their next star with careful matchups.

In addition, he has repeatedly rejected the fight against Cruz. So, it’s not just Top Rank that doesn’t want this fight. Keyshawn will have to be dragged into the ring for a fight against Cruz because he knows his career will be permanently changed if he fights him. Keyshawn is a classic example of a hype job. Let’s get it out there.

Fighting Cruz will put the spotlight on what Keyshawn is, and he will take that fight with every ounce of energy he has. Top Rank will probably help. If Keyshawn gets his hands on the WBO belt next month, he will vacate it if Cruz becomes his mandatory challenger and the fight is ordered. This is my prediction.

“There are two fights that people will say, ‘I’m more interested than Andy Cruz.’ It’s Tank, which I don’t think is going to happen this year, and Shakur,” Hearn continued. “It’s his (Keyshawn’s) best friend. They will never fight. Tell me a more intriguing fight, a better story, more competitive than Keyshawn Davis vs. Andy Cruz.

The Easy Way

Hearn is right. Cruz is the best fight out there for Keyshawn, but he’s wrong if he thinks that will happen. Eddie is not an American, and he does not know people from the US well. Keyshawn is so easy to read. He wants an easy life and money, and he will NEVER fight Cruz again.

“So, for me, I think it’s a natural fight. They fought four times. Andy Cruz won every time,” Hearn said. “He calls him his son, and the build-up is going to be big. It’s a brilliant fight, and it’s a 50-50 fight. Keyshawn looks really good. He’s got a lot of experience in the pros now, and Andy’s only got five fights.”

Cruz is going to make Keyshawn look like the pure duck he is, and fans will notice. He will always look #2. It doesn’t matter how well Top Rank maneuvers Keyshawn to make him look better than he is.

“Andy just beat Salcido tonight. (Antonio) Moran last. He moves fast, and he’s a hell of a talent,” Hearn said.