Keyshawn Davis is the new WBO lightweight world champion. The US boxer knocked out former champion Denys Berinchyk in round four.
New York – A statement victory in the “Mecca of Boxing”: Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 knockouts) defeated Denys Berinchyk (19-1, 9 knockouts) in convincing fashion to secure the WBO World Lightweight title. In Madison Square Garden, Davis ended the fight in the fourth round with a targeted body shot.
Davis sent the Ukrainian to the floor with a left hook to the body in the third round. Berinchyk, who was still unbeaten up to that point, was able to pull himself together, but Davis followed up consistently in round four. After another devastating combination to the body, the champion collapsed under the pressure. Referee Harvey Dock stopped the duel at 1:45 minutes of the fourth round when Berinchyk was unable to get to his feet in time.
Davis challenges the best
“Anyone who has the courage to step into the ring with me can give it a go,” Davis said confidently after the fight. “There are two champions in the 135-pound class that I really want to fight. If they have the guts to fight ‘The Businessman’, then they should send me the contract.”
Davis also emphasized that he had no major problems with Berinchyk’s unorthodox style: “The only thing that caused me a little difficulty was his constant coming in and out. But the longer the fight went on, the more comfortable I felt in the ring.”
Berinchyk loses title and unbeaten record
For Berinchyk, it was not only the first defeat of his career, but also the end of his brief title reign. The 36-year-old had won the vacant WBO title on May 18 last year with a narrow split-decision victory over Mexican Emanuel Navarrete in the Pechanga Arena in San Diego. Now he has to fight his way back into the title race.
With this triumph, Davis joins the elite of the lightweight division. The other world champions in the division are Vasiliy Lomachenko (IBF), Gervonta Davis (WBA) and Shakur Stevenson (WBC). Will “The Businessman” soon step into the ring against one of these champions?
