Keyshawn Davis blew his stack when he was asked during an interview about his old enemy from his amateur days, the Cuban Andy Cruz, who beat him like a drum in their four fights. Davis (11-0, 7 KOs) snapped the interviewer when Cruz’s name was brought up and then went on an expletive-filled rant about how the fight was offered to his promoter, Eddie Hearn, without a response.
(Credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank)
The look on Keyshawn’s face when Cruz’s name was mentioned was that of a person whose blood pressure had shot up to dangerous levels. That name still haunts Keyshawn after all these years.
Somehow it’s hard to believe Keyshawn because Hearn said he’d have the Cruz-Keyshawn fight in a second. Hearn wants that fight because he knows 2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz would fight him for the fifth time, adding to his previous record of 4-0 against the Virginia native.
“After I have a spectacular performance against Lemos, I’m going to be on the verge of being a superstar,” Keyshawn Davis said. Manouk Akopyandiscusses his hopes of becoming a star after his fight against Gustavo Lemos on Friday.
Beating Lemos won’t turn Keyshawn into a star because he’s not a big enough name. It did nothing for Richardson Hitchins after defeating Lemos earlier this year on April 6. To become a star, Keyshawn will have to beat fighters like Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta Davis, William Zepeda, Edwin De Los Santos, Vasily Lomachenko and Andy Cruz.
“The only thing that is mandatory is to get me my world title. After becoming world champion, my name is now solidified. I’m not only an Olympic silver medalist, but I’m a world champion. Lomachenko, I think he will fight one more time and then retire. Hopefully he chooses me to fight. If he wins his fight and retires, then I’m going to go for the IBF,” Keyshawn said.
Lomachenko is NOT going to pick Keyshawn out if he has the last fight of his career before he retires. There’s no money in a fight against Keyshawn, and he’s not going to fight a guy who looks like a welterweight. Keyshawn isn’t a world champion yet, and fans in the US don’t care that he’s an Olympic silver medalist. That mess doesn’t impress American fans. All that is proven is that Keyshawn was not good enough to win the gold medal against Andy Cruz.
“Me and (WBO champion) Berinchyk are friends. So, one of those two tracks. Tank, Shakur and I, I think we’re the best at 135. People aren’t going to give me credit and say I should be a champion. I’ll fight anyone but Shakur.
“The ball is in their court. We’re waiting for them,” Keyshawn said when asked if he would be interested in fighting Andy Cruz. “We have already sent them a contract. I already went live with Eddie Hearn and said to set up the fight. I don’t know what else you guys want me to do (make the Andy Cruz fight). “
Actually, the ball is in Keyshawn’s court as he’s the one who has dismissed the idea of fighting Cruz since turning pro, saying that he brings nothing to the table and that it’s a different story now. It seems clear to some that Keyshawn is afraid of Crawfurd, which is fine. That’s fine, but it would be good if Keyshawn would admit it so the media can stop asking him about that fight.
“Stop asking me this question,” Keyshawn said when asked about Cruz. “I’ve tried to fight these guys when I was still co-maining. I can fight him as a main event now. If I send him a contract, will he sign it? I don’t know. I’m going for my world title and the biggest fights out there. He’s one of the biggest fights out there.”
The media and the fans are going to keep asking Keyshawn about Cruz because he keeps saying different things when brought up, suggesting that he doesn’t want to fight the talented Cuban due to repeated failures against him. When you get beat up over and over like Keyshawn did against Cruz, it’s understandable why you’re willing to say anything to avoid the fight. It’s not the amateurs where Keyshawn can lose, and it’s not a big deal. If he is beaten by Cruz in the pro ranks, he can say goodbye to his dreams of fighting for a world title and making good money to buy houses.
“I’m not going to keep entertaining it if they’re not ready. What are they, 4-0? He is not ready yet. He doesn’t have a fan base. His entire fan base is built around me. I would like to fight him in my next fight, but his promoters and managers say no,” Keyshawn said.
Eddie Hearn says otherwise. He called out Keyshawn and said he was ready to make the fight between him and Andy Cruz. He sounded as serious as a heart attack when he said he would take that fight. So who are we to believe? Hearn or Keyshawn? Considering Cruz has beaten Keyshawn four times in the amateurs and has a 4-0 record against him, you have to believe that Hearn wants to make the fight, but he doesn’t.
