A wild Friday in Norfolk, Virginia, that was meant to be a prelude to a Saturday evening WBO light-weight title defence for unbeaten Champion Keyshawn Davis in his hometown rapidly took a flip for the more severe when Davis missed weight. Now, a fair greater story has emerged, the title battle is totally off.
Davis, who was set to make the primary defence of the championship gained in February in opposition to contender Edwin De Los Santos of the Dominican Republic, got here on to the size and astonishingly weighed in at 139.3., over 4 lb. past the 135 lb. restrict.
After the preliminary shock of the announcement, Davis tried to elucidate what occurred in an interview with Prime Rank / ESPN boxing announcer Crystina Poncher on the stage moments after the weigh-in concluded. At the moment, noon Friday Japanese Time, Davis and his camp had been prepared to barter by providing De Los Santos extra of Davis’ purse to let the battle proceed, although Davis was being stripped of his WBO championship.
Keyshawn Davis Weight Miss Ends His Title Protection Earlier than It Begins
Davis Explains Being Almost 5 lb. Overweight
“I simply outgrew he weight,” Davis stated. “I attempted. I used to be up late final evening attempting to make that weight. I awakened early this morning attempting to the make the burden…it’s what it’s.”
Ultimately De Los Santos’ crew and promoter Samson Lewkowicz determined it was too dangerous to permit him to get into the ring with a fighter that didn’t do all the pieces to make the 135 lb. restrict.
As a sidebar you possibly can watch our insider Dan Rafael and me react in actual time as we had been internet hosting the BetUS TV boxing present stay, when the information broke 1 p.m. Japanese Time hour that Davis was massively obese.
Keyshawn Davis tipped the scales at 139.3 lbs, lacking the light-weight restrict and shedding his WBO title.@BucSidelineGuy & @DanRafael1 came upon stay and mentioned the implications…
🎥 Full dialogue ➡️ https://t.co/X1MbDRYPck#KeyshawnDeLosSantos #GamblingX pic.twitter.com/DUsCSYzryn
— BetUS TV (@BetUSTV) June 6, 2025
Keyshawn Davis Cancelled – Abdullah Mason in Important Occasion
On Friday evening, Prime Rank Boxing introduced the battle card will proceed with Abdullah Mason, a rising light-weight from Ohio, getting into the primary occasion slot in a 10-round bout in opposition to veteran Jeremia Nakathila. Prime Rank additionally introduced that full refunds had been obtainable to anybody who had purchased tickets to see Davis’ championship homecoming battle.
This isn’t the primary time Davis has confronted controversy on his path to the light-weight world championship. Following his win over Nahir Albright in October 2023, he examined constructive for marijuana post-fight, with the choice win modified to a no contest.
Davis gained the WBO belt when he destroyed Denys Berinchyk within the fourth spherical to seize the vacant title. It’ unclear whether or not the Virginia Boxing Fee will take additional motion in opposition to Davis for lacking weight? They may droop his license to battle within the state, a sanction that the Affiliation of Boxing Commissions would doubtless assist.
Regardless, it is a humiliating setback for a proficient fighter who gained the Olympic silver medal on the Tokyo Video games in 2021. It’s additionally a humiliation for Prime Rank, because the battle was scheduled to headline ESPN on Saturday prime time.
