Keyshawn Davis knocks out Denys Berinchyk, wins WBO lightweight title: Results, highlights
Keyshawn Davis prevailed in a battle of unbeatens and won his first world championship Friday.
Davis, the 25-year-old American, defeated Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk by knockout and claimed the WBO world lightweight title. The finishing blow was a body shot in the fourth round that left Berinchyk kneeling on the canvas as the referee reached the count of 10.
Berinchyk looked overmatched from the sound of the opening bell and by the end Davis had bloodied his nose and then broke his spirit, ending the fight at 1:45 of the fourth round.
Davis won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and has been working his way up the pro ranks before his bout against the 36-year-old Berinchyk, who was making his first title defense.
Davis improved to 13-0. Berinchyk suffered his loss while falling to 19-1.
Davis with a noticeable size advantage. Berinchyk — listed as 5-7 — looks pint-sized against the 5-9 Davis. Davis now attacking the body with his jab, and Berinchyk lunges in with a jab of his own. Davis shoves Berinchyk and it smells a little like WWE. Not much notable here, other than Davis pulling Berinchyk off the mat. A forgettable round, but Davis does enough. Davis 10, Berinchyk 9.
Nice right from Davis, but no immediate follow-up. Berinchyk responds with a languishing left. Not impressive. Berinchyk grabbing Davis and everybody’s getting annoyed. Well, definitely Davis. Berinchyk tied up with Davis again, and will be happy to stay that way. Davis lands another hard right. Bell rings and Berinchyk stares at Davis oddly. Uh, probably not going to be enough to win the round. Davis 20, Berinchyk 18.
Davis scores quickly with a left. Berinchyk again rushes in and gets dialed up. A hard left to the body drops Berinchyk! But he’s up and wrapping up Davis again. Going to do his best to make this fight dirty. Boxers wrapped up again. Davis measuring Berinchyk, fires another solid body shot. Berinchyk’s favorite move: the hug. Davis now fires with both hands and lands a nice combination as the round ends. Davis 30, Berinchyk 26.
Berinchyk bleeding from the nose as the round begins. Davis appears to smell blood. Berinchyk surely does too considering its his own blood. As a result, Berinchyk looks determined to get tangled up to close the space. But down he goes again! Dropped by another body shot! Berinchyk does not get up before the 10-count!
Round 1: Zayas out quickly behind his jab. Spomer takes a shot to the nose and already is bleeding. Zayas targets the nose again. Spomer fires to the body, but Zayas regains control with his left. Doing damage with that left. Zayas 10, Spomer 9.
Round 2: Zayas comes out firing that left. Much to Spomer’s chagrin. Spomer lands a nice right, then follows with a combination. Zayas sticking with the left. Wisely. Zayas 20, Spomer 18.
Round 3: Spomer showing some urgency, darting in with punches. But Zayas is eluding most of them and tagging Spomer. Lands a solid body shot. Spomer lands a right to the head. Spomer getting his shots in, but not enough. Zayas 30, Spomer 27.
Round 4: Down goes Spomer! BUT, it’s the result of a low blow. He gets time to catch his breath. Spomer moving forward as he looks for an opening. He eats Zayas’ lefts as a result. Zayas punishing Spomer now, landing to the body and head. Spomer looks weakened. Spomer catches Zayas by surprise! But it’s a single shot and Zayas looks steady as the bell rings. Zayas 40, Spomer 36.
Round 5: Spomer looks energized, perhaps because of the big right he landed late in the fourth round? Spomer showing little fear – and willing to absorb those left hands in exchange for a chance to land a big punch or two. Another low blow drops Spomer to the canvas! He’s up and breathing deep. The referee warns Zayas. Ref checking the replay, which shows it was, in his words, “borderline.’’ No point deduction. Zayas evading punches and looking far more skilled than Spomer. Zayas 50, Spomer 45.
Round 6: Spomer swinging with authority, but not precision. Another low blow?!? The ref says no, and the fight continues. Spomer pretty clearly trying to draw a low-blow call resulting in a point deduction. He’ll need about a half-dozen of those. Zayas pulverizing Spomer. Zayas 60, Spomer 54.
Round 7: Spomer showing no quit – and no real chance of pulling out this fight. Barring a puncher’s chance. Zayas content to score repeatedly with the left and occasionally follow up with his right. Zayas 70, Spomer 63.
Round 8: Crisp lefts from Zayas. Wayward punches from Spomer. The pattern is set, and now Zayas is attacking Spomer’s body. It’s worth a collective wince, boxing fans. Zayas 80, Spomer 72.
Round 9: Zayas still throwing with authority. Hard enough to knock out Spomer? He lands a solid right, and Spomer pounces back. Ohhhh. Hard left to Spomer’s body. Spomer in trouble. Zayas stays on the attack and the referee halts the fight! It’s Zayas by TKO.
What happened?: Zayas pounded away on Spomer with his left hand for eight rounds.
In the ninth, Zayas broke him.
An onslaught of body punches left a look of anguish on the face of Spomer. He stopped fighting back, prompting the referee to halt the fight at 2:01 of the ninth round of the super welterweight bout.
Zayas, a 22-year-old Puerto Rican, improved to 21-0. Spomer, a 32-year-old from Germany, fell to 20-1.
Round 1: Coyle out quick with the jab. Mielnicki looks a shade too slow. But Mielnicki scores with a combination in the corner. Mielnicki turning up the heat and asserts himself as the aggressor. Mielnicki 10, Coyle 9.
Round 2: Coyle lands a stiff jab and follows that with crisp punches. Mielnicki stuns Coyle with a right! Now looking to land another power punch. Coyle fires back with the jab. Mielnicki landing consistently and getting a little rough – and showing his power. Mielnicki 20, Coyle 18.
Round 3: Coyle more aggressive as the round begins and shows more confidence. Now, Mielnicki stalking and lands a solid left. Coyle showing speed with a flurry of punches. Mielnicki still pushes forward and eats a flurry of punches. Mielnicki 29, Coyle 28.
Round 4: Coyle stalking and showing confidence again. Coyle lands a left to the body and Mielnicki surely felt that. Coyle taking control but bleeding from his left eye. But the blood hasn’t slowed Coyle’s attack. Wow, that eye is a bloody mess now. Huge exchange of punches. Mielnicki 38, Coyle 38.
Round 5: Instant replay shows a punch from Mielnicki, not a headbutt, caused the cut around Coyle’s left eye, according to ESPN. It doesn’t appear to be having much effect on Coyle as he stalks. Action slows. Nice left from Mielnicki. Mielnicki 48, Coyle 47.
Round 6: Action slows again. But Mielnicki finds openings as the boxers move near the center of the ring. Mielnicki connects with a big right. Mielnicki 58, Coyle 56.
Round 7: Coyle shows more aggression, and Mielnicki holds his ground. Coyle lands a bunch. Hard to know how many got through Mielnicki’s high guard. It’s Coyle’s volume vs. Mielnicki’s power. Nice exchanges and Mielnicki draws blood from Coyle’s nose. Mielnicki 67, Coyle 66.
Round 8: Coyle out strong with a combination. Lands another. Mielnicki suddenly looks sluggish. Then surges forward. Nice right uppercut from Coyle. Mielnicki asserts himself at the end of the round, but possibly too late. Mielnicki 76, Coyle 76.
Round 9: Coyle comes out active. Now, they’re tangled up and trading punches, a taste of brawling. Coyle shows great dexterity and Mielnicki responds with power. Mielnicki reopens the cut outside Coyle’s left eye. For all of Coyle’s punches, he doesn’t seem to be able to hurt Mielnicki, who lands a big left to finish the round. Mielnicki 86, Coyle 85.
Round 10: Mielnicki emerges looking strong and confident. Coyle takes a shot below the belt and takes some time to get settled. Mielnicki welcomes him back with power punches. Mielnicki scores with a left uppercut. Looks very strong and almost impervious to Coyle’s flurries. Coyle’s eye is a bloody mess. Now coming in hard with right hand. Mielnicki 96, Coyle 94.
What happened?: Coyle unfurled pinpoint punches. Mielnicki unleashed power. It led to an entertaining 10-round middleweight bout and a chore for the judges.
Scoring rounds felt like a coin flip, and the bout ended in a majority draw.
One judge scored the bout 96-94 in favor of Mielnicki and the two other judges scored it 95-95.
The face of Coyle (20-0-1) was a bloody mess when the bout ended. Mielnicki (21-1-1) looked largely unscathed.
But neither man could claim an official victory.
Round 1: De Jesus needs less than 45 seconds to drop his opponent in his debut! A beautiful uppercut and Santiago does not get off the canvas.
What happened?: Lopez De Jesus, the son of former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez, displayed his pedigree in his pro debut.
The 19-year-old Puerto Rican needed less than a minute to knock out his opponent, Santiago, in their super flyweight bout. He did it with a swift left uppercut.
An Olympic hopeful, De Jesus clearly looked like an impressive pro prospect too while improving to 1-0.
Santiago, a 21-year-old American, fell to 1-2-1.
Round 1: Mason strikes first with that quick right. Boxers measuring before Jaimes strikes. Mason scores again with a very quick right. Impressive speed. Fighters in close quarters and Jaimes lands. But with distance, it’s target practice for Mason. Mason lands a hard left that staggers Jaimes as the round comes to an end. Mason 10, Jaimes 9.
Round 2: Mason showing good movement, evading punches and … drops Jaimes with a brutal left! Jaimes back on his feet and the fighting resumes. Jaimes shows some energy but Mason punishes him with a body shot. Mason to the body again. Jaimes is still game, but his demise now seems inevitable. Mason whipping punches. Mason 20, Jaimes 17.
Round 3: Jaimes charges after Mason. Lunges. And just like that, Mason drops Jaimes with a combination! Jaimes is back on his feet and coming after Mason. Laud his courage? Or question his decision making? Jaimes still looking game, but Mason looks like the predator. Mason 30, Jaimes 25.
Round 4: Mason drops Jaimes with a left hook. Third time down. And third time Jaimes is on his feet fighting again. Jaimes opens up and Mason punishes him for the gallant effort. Mason drops Jaimes yet again! This time the referee halts the fight with 1:07 left in the round.
What happened?: Mason, an unbeaten 20-year-old from Cleveland, says he wants to fight for a world title this year. The idea did not seem far-fetched after his lightweight bout against Jaimes.
Mason knocked down Jaimes four times and finished him off in the fourth round. Wielding a nasty left hand, Mason punished Jaimes for his gallant effort.
Jaimes kept getting up, and Mason kept putting him down. The referee halted the fight at 1:55 of the fourth round.
Mason improved to 17-0 with 15 knockouts and Jaimes, a 24-year-old from Stockton, California, fell to 16-3-1.
Round 1: Polanco is quick and capitalizing with a jab. Down goes Torres! Taken down by a right with about two minutes left in the first round. Polanco looking for the KO and Torres fighting for his life. Polanco is pounding away. The only question now: Can Torres survive the round? He does. Polanco 10, Torres 8.
Round 2: Torres, wow, opens with a strong left hook. But Polanco responds by flooring Torres. He’s up and, perhaps against good advice, resumes fighting. With determination, in fact. But Polanco throws heavy punches and staggers Torres again. The ref wisely steps in and calls the fight with 1:13 left. It’s Torres by TKO!
What happened?: Polanco demolished Torres in the welterweight bout while improving to 15-0.
Torres might have made his biggest mistake when, after getting knocked down in the first round, he got up and resumed fighting.
Polanco punished him for the decision, knocking Torres down again in the second round and twice staggering him before the referee halted the fight.
Polanco, a 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic, won by stoppage for the 10th time in his 15 fights. Torres, a 34-year-old Puerto Rican, fell to 22-2.
Round 1: At 6-3, the slender Davis has a striking height advantage over the 5-9 Johnson. And he’s uncorking nasty punches. This is only his second fight, and he’s looking more like a veteran. He’s teeing off on Johnson and lands a big uppercut. Landing punches with force. Davis 10, Johnson 9.
Round 2: Davis digs into Johnson’s body with both hands. Johnson down on his right knee! He beats the count but doesn’t look terribly eager to resume fighting. Davis drops Johnson again! This time he doesn’t bother getting to his feet before the referee counts to 10. It’s over! Davis by KO!
What happened?: In just his second pro fight, Davis turned in an impressive performance in the welterweight bout. He generated immense power with his slender 6-3 frame.
Davis, 23, dropped the 5-9 Johnson to a knee in the second round with an assortment of body punches. Johnson made it back on his feet but didn’t stay there long.
Davis KO’d Johnson at 1:38 of the second round with an overhand right and improved to 2-0. Johnson, 34, fell to 3-3.
Round 1: Anderson is wearing a pattern with cupids and hearts on his boxing shorts, which look more like a skirt. He throws shots without love, and Kollias responds with his own power. Anderson attacks with his right, and Kollias responds with a barrage to the body and head. Anderson responds but steps into a strong left from Kollias. Kollias 10, Anderson 9.
Round 2: Anderson is out quickly behind his jab. His punches look crisp and he looks in control. Anderson lands an uppercut that catches Kollias’ attention. Anderson slips a big punch from Kollias and makes Kollias pay. Sterling boxing from Anderson. Kollias 19, Anderson 19.
Round 3: Anderson resumes where he left off. Firing his jab and right. Big swing and a miss from Kollias. Anderson again looks in control. Egad! Kollias’ shorts are falling down. But Kollias isn’t. He lands a couple of hard shorts. The referee pulls up those ill-behaved shorts. Anderson finishes the round with a little flourish. Anderson 29, Kollias 28.
Round 4: Once again, Anderson is out quickly. But with his pants pulled down, Kollias fires back. Unleashes some big punches, but none land flushly. Anderson responds with a crisp jab and throws a big right to the body. Anderson looking to be in control. Anderson 39, Kollias 37.
Round 5: Kollias emerges with authority, unleashing punches rather than waiting on Anderson. Anderson looks more vulnerable now and cautious. Down come Kollias’ shorts again. Where’s the ringside tailor?! Kollias literally pulling up his shorts while trying to evade punches. Ref hitches up the shorts again. What a wardrobe malfunction. But nothing can protect Kollias from Anderson’s body assault. Anderson 49, Kollias 46.
Round 6: Down comes Kollias’ trunks again. Kuh-ray-zee. Does anybody in the audience have an extra belt? Anderson suppressed any laughter and suppressed Kollias with that jab. Anderson 59, Kollias 55.
Round 7: Kollias absorbs Anderson’s jab and lands some solid blows. Kollias can’t sustain the attack, and Anderson regains control behind his jab and occasional right. But Kollias gets revved up again and tags Anderson with a shot to the head. Anderson 68, Kollias 65.
Round 8: Both fighters fire early and connect. Kollias lunges forward behind a right and left. Anderson evades the punches. Kollias was willing to eat punches as he moved forward and fired from close range. But Anderson makes good use of his crisp punches. Anderson 78, Kollias 74.
Round 9: Kollias lands a big right. But Anderson absorbs and fires back with a jab and his right. Kollias showing more urgency and unleashing punches. Kollias surges again and Anderson wraps him up. Anderson 87, Kollias 84.
Round 10: Anderson unleashes a stinging left. Kollias bulls forward. Rat-a-tat-tat, Anderson peppering Kollias with that jab and digs in with a left to the body. Kollias wants to brawl, and Anderson hurls Kollias to the mat. WWE, anyone? Kollias finishes the round strong. Anderson 96, Kollias 94.
What happened?: The 10-round heavyweight bout included a memorable wardrobe malfunction. On at least two occasions, Kollias needed the referee to help him pull up his trunks. But that was the lesser of his problems.
Anderson tattooed Kollias with an effective left jab and was the more skillful boxer.
The judges scored it 99-91, 99-91, 98-92 in favor of Anderson, who improved to 18-1. Kollias fell to 12-4-1.
Round 1: Guerra comes out as the aggressor. Ali Walsh fights back with his jab followed by a right. Guerra lands a solid right and Ali Walsh backpedaling now. Guerra applies pressure but with modest power. Ali Walsh lands a combination, and Guerra responds. Guerra 10, Ali Walsh 9.
Round 2: Ali Walsh firing early, but Guerra moving forward now and unleashing punches with both hands. Pounding Ali Walsh in the body. Guerra looks awkward, but now he’s got Ali Walsh against the ropes. Guerra still showing limited power, but he’s landing far more punches. Guerra 20, Ali Walsh 18.
Round 3: Guerra working Ali Walsh’s body. Ali Walsh moving well, but the bad news is he needs to be moving. Ali Walsh looks puzzled and now flat-footed while taking an uppercut on the chin. Guerra 30, Ali Walsh 27.
Round 4: Guerra out firing again and marching forward. Ali Walsh lands a solid left to the body but Guerra looks undeterred. Ali Walsh scores another body shot but in exchange eats a shot and is backpedaling again. Ali Walsh looking more active now, and Guerra’s tank may be emptying. Ali Walsh has drawn blood. Guerra 39, Ali Walsh 37.
Round 5: Ali Walsh fires early, and Guerra simply moves forward. A nice exchange in the corner. Guerra pops Ali Walsh with a crisp jab. He’s laughing at Guerra. But the awkward Guerra is laughing back as he stalks Ali Walsh. He lands a solid uppercut, but his face is smeared with blood. Guerra 49, Ali Walsh 46.
Round 6: Ali Walsh lands early, but Guerra continues to move forward. Both boxers landing now. Ali Walsh digs a left into Guerra’s body. Working the head and the body. Ali Walsh coming alive now. Where has this energy been? Guerra 58, Ali Walsh 56.
What happened?: Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, looked like a far more distant relative to The Greatest in his super lightweight bout. Ali Walsh spent most of the six-round fight backpedaling against a construction worker from Chicago who lacked technique and pedigree but not heart. Guerra stalked Ali Walsh from the opening bell and wielded an awkward but effective right hand. He finished with blood on his face but as the victor. The judges scored it 56-58, 58-56, 58-56 in favor of Guerra, who improved to 6-1-1. Ali Walsh, 24, fell to 10-2.
The undercard starts at 5 p.m. ET. The three-fight main card is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET
The WBO lightweight title fight will get underway at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York.
The undercard will be streamed on ESPN+. The main card will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+.
All available odds are for moneyline bets (as of Thursday), according to BetMGM.
Brent Brookhouse writes, “Berinchyk may find a bit of early success before Davis’ jab starts to dictate how the fight plays out. Once Davis gets rolling, he should fully take over the fight but Berinchyk is likely too crafty to get stopped before the final bell.”
Jaren Kawada writes, “Davis is coming off an early knockout, one that has him convinced he will do the same to Berinchyk. His power and precision make that possible, but it would certainly be quite a shock.”
Ricardo Viagem writes that Davis is “powerful and technical, but can fall into the trap of relying too much on his toughness whenever he finds himself in exchanges. He also has a tendency to be flat-footed.”
The prelims and fight will be available for live stream on ESPN+.
UFC events are available to ESPN+ subscribers for $119.99 for the entire year. You can also purchase a monthly subscription of ESPN+ for $11.99.
Tickets listed on StubHub Thursday ranged in price from $86 to $565.
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Keyshawn Davis def. Denys Berinchyk by KO
Xander Zayas def. Slawa Spomer by TKO
Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Connor Coyle declared majority draw
Juanma Lopez De Jesus def. Bryan Santiago by KO
Abdullah Mason def. Manuel Jaimes by TKO
Rohan Polanco def. Jean Carlos Torres by TKO
Keon Davis def. Ira Johnson by KO
Jared Anderson def. Marioas Kollias by unanimous decision
Carlos Guerra Jr. def. Nico Ali Walsh by split decision
Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk time
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Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk: Tale of the tape
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Main Card
Prelims
Main Card
Prelims
CBS Sports: Davis by unanimous decision.
Clutch Points: Davis by decision
Sportskeeda: Berinchyk by decision
| Keyshawn Davis | vs. | Denys Berinchyk |
| 12-0 | Record | 19-0 |
| USA | Country | Ukraine |
| 5-foot-9 | Height | 5-foot-7 |
| 134.2 pounds | Weight | 134.6 pounds |
| 70 inches | Reach | 66.9 inches |
Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk fight prediction, odds, start time, card, date, preview, where to watch
Keyshawn Davis has been a standout prospect among the crop of young, talented American boxers since transitioning to the professional ranks after securing silver at the 2020 Olympics. Friday’s clash with WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk was supposed to be about 25-year-old Davis’ attempt to capture his first world championship but has taken a significantly nastier turn as the fight has approached.
At Thursday’s press conference for the fight, Davis accused Berinchyk of a racist act, claiming he had bananas and a watermelon delivered to his hotel room. Berinchyk’s camp didn’t respond to the accusation at the press conference beyond claiming Davis and his team were looking for any edge to hype themselves up for the bout.
Another young, American fighter either trolled Davis or subtly took credit for the act when Teofimo Lopez shared a clip of Davis discussing the incident before the camera panned to Lopez eating a banana and laughing.
“I want to address the fact that this guy came to America to give me bananas and a watermelon with a note on it. It’s unprofessional, and I feel like it’s racist,” Davis said. “And you just made this fight a little more personal. This man brought a box of bananas and a watermelon to America to bring to my room. I took it as racist. So, I got something for you.
“Ya’ll did it. It’s OK that ya’ll did it. I’m going to whoop your ass for it. Just know what’s coming Friday night.”
Whatever the reality of the incident is, it’s ugly and should have no place in boxing, let alone the world.
Stripping away that ugliness, Davis vs. Berinchyk is a battle between two fighters who made good on successful amateur careers.
Just like Davis (12-0, 8 KO), Berinchyk is an Olympic silver medalist, winning his medal in the 2012 games. And, just like Davis, Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KO) has yet to taste defeat as a professional. But Berinchyk claims that Davis lacks the same level of experience and that it’s that experience that will define Friday’s fight.
“I have 350 fights and wins in amateurs,” Berinchyk said at the press conference. “I have more than 500 victorious street fights, and I have one bare-knuckle fight, also victorious.”
Davis, already on edge from earlier in the presser, fired back at the suggestion.
“All that s— you talking about, I don’t care. I’m going to f— you up, Friday,” Davis said. “I don’t care about none of your experience, amateur experience, I don’t care about your silver medal. I don’t care about none of that, I’m going to f— you up Friday.”
This will be the biggest test of Davis’ young career. Berinchyk held a secondary WBO title from December 2017 until he was given the opportunity to fight for the vacant world championship against Emanuel Navarrete in May 2024, taking the title by split decision over the three-division world champion.
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event.
While Berinchyk is a solid fighter, there’s nothing in his game that is particularly spectacular. He is a bit awkward and unorthodox in his attack, which can trouble opponents and his amateur bona fides do speak to a solid technical base and understanding of the game, but it’s hard to see anywhere Berinchyk is better than Davis. Also, it’s worth noting that Navarrete was undersized and tried to come up one weight class too far to chase a world title in a fourth weight class, meaning Berinchyk didn’t have to win his belt by taking out one of lightweight’s elite fighters.
Davis is fast and is finding his power more and more as he finishes the transition from amateur to professional. He’s now a much more dangerous fighter than he was in his disappointing 2023 bout with Nahir Albright, which he won by majority decision before the result was overturned to a no contest after Davis failed a drug test for the presence of marijuana metabolites.
Berinchyk may find a bit of early success before Davis’ jab starts to dictate how the fight plays out. Once Davis gets rolling, he should fully take over the fight but Berinchyk is likely too crafty to get stopped before the final bell. Pick: Keyshawn Davis via UD
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Keyshawn Davis knocks out Denys Berinchyk: Fight card results, what’s next?
There’s been little love in the air throughout the buildup to Keyshawn Davis’s Valentine’s Day showdown against Denys Berinchyk.
Berinchyk took his first swipe at Davis at Thursday’s weigh-ins, pushing the Virginia-born challenger from behind as the two posed side-by-side for photos, causing Davis to fall off the stage and a scuffle to ensue.
“I don’t care about none of your experience or amateur experience. I don’t care about your silver medal. I don’t even care about your watch, your belt or any of that,” Davis told Berinchyk on Wednesday. “I’m going to (expletive) you up on Friday.”
The matchup sees Davis in his first career world title fight, having quickly risen up the lightweight ranks since turning professional in 2021, following his silver medal winning performance at the 2020 Olympics. Berinchyk, a silver medal winner at the 2012 Olympics, defends the WBO lightweight title for the first time since winning it last May over Emanuel Navarrete.
Stay tuned below for live updates throughout the Davis vs. Berinchyk fight card.
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Preliminary fights
Davis finding success with straight shots as Berinchyk pushes inside early on. Davis lands another wicked body shot on Berinchyk and sends him down for a second time! Berinchyk doesn’t look like he’s getting up and he does not beat the count! Davis secures the knockout win and his first world title.
Inside 30 seconds Davis steps into range and lands a thudding left hook to the body of Berinchyk and knocks him to the canvas! Berinchyk beats the count, but has a long time left to survive, although he does look to have his legs as he returns fire. Davis staying patient, working from the outside and throwing straight shots down the stretch. 10-8 round for Davis, who closed out the round with some solid connects.
Inside the first thirty seconds of the round Davis connects on a solid right hand as Berinchyk steps inside. Berinchyk tying up anytime he’s at close range, trying to eliminate Davis’s superior reach advantage. Davis punching well on the inside though, connecting on Berinchyk as he steps in.
Davis looks to secure his first ever world title tonight, while Berinchyk defends the WBO belt for the first time since winning it over Emanuel Navarrete last May. Davis on the front foot early on, holding the center of the ring as Berinchyk bounces around the outside. Davis lands a few solid shots straight down the pipe midway through, Berinchyk takes them in stride though. Not much action in the opening round, but Davis landed a handful of punches that should earn him the round.
Zayas is outlanding Spomer 154-33 through eight rounds. Zayas lands a straight right hand early as he pushes the pace. Midway through the round Zayas connects cleanly on a left-handed body shot that buckles Spomer. Spomer goes into defensive mode but Zayas sees he’s hurt and begins to unload punches, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight. Zayas secures the ninth round TKO!
Spomer is aggressive early on and Zayas lets him step inside before ripping a few punches of his own at close range. Zayas continues to work away on Spomer, transitioning from the jab to short hooks with ease, continuing to pound away on Spomer who is without an answer at the moment.
Spomer’s connects have been few and far between, but any time he does land, Zayas responds with two to three punches of his own. Zayas flashing the jab at the center of the ring before changing levels on Spomer, which he’s done successfully all night. Spomer is being thoroughly outboxed through seven rounds.
Zayas lands a pair of left hooks early on as Spomer looks to close the gap. Spomer looks to be waiting for his chance to land a big right hand, which he shook Zayas with at the end of Round 4. In the meantime though it’s all Zayas, whose defense continues to be superb, keeping him just out of range before he steps in and connects almost at will.
Zayas doesn’t seem too shaken up from the shot he took at the end of the last round, as he’s back to working the jab and connecting consistently down to the body of Spomer. Once again Zayas hits Spomer below the belt and the fight is paused, he receives a warning but nothing more. Zayas closes out the round with a couple solid connects, controlled the round despite a couple nice right hands from Spomer.
Zayas has landed 50 power punches thus far, to Spomer’s 15. In the opening seconds of the round Zayas lands a low blow that sends Spomer down, but it’s not long before he’s back up and ready to fight again. Zayas always seems to be just outside of range from Spomer’s punches and when he steps inside he’s been extremely accurate, ripping the body of Spomer. It was all Zayas down the stretch but Spomer caught him with a thumping hook in the final seconds.
Spomer opens the round with a solid straight shot that connects on Zayas’ chin, but it does nothing to back Zayas up. The jab is steadily landing for Zayas, but it’s his work on the inside that’s really doing damage, especially to the body of Spomer. Spomer had a few nice moments throughout the round, but it was Zayas in control, dishing the vast majority of the damage.
Zayas outlanded Spomer 20-6 in the first round. Zayas controlling the space in the ring well, picking his spots to throw combinations before moving just out of range. Spomer has a couple nice moments in the middle of the round, landing a right hook before connecting with a combination shortly after. Zayas’ defense has been great tonight, as he evades Spomer’s attacks before countering with some effective punches.
Zayas takes another step up as a contender in this one, facing perhaps the toughest test of his career in Spomer, who’s trained by Roy Jones Jr. Technical battle early on, as both fighters bounce in and out of range, feinting while searching for openings. Zayas looks comfortable in the pocket, letting his hands go before stepping out range, where he’s done well with the jab throughout the round.
Final round of the fight and it’s seemingly still up for grabs, as both trainers urge their fighters to finish strong. It’s messy on the inside as both fighters look to land thumping uppercuts while clinching, neither able to land anything too cleanly. Mielnicki lands a couple solid right hands inside thirty seconds, looking in control as the round closes out.
Both fighters trade short, chopping punches standing toe-to-toe on the inside in the opening minute. Mielnicki digging down to the body at close range and Coyle returns the favor with a few body punches of his own in between clinches. Mielnicki with a solid left hook in the final seconds, closing the round well after taking some shots from Coyle down the stretch.
Early on Coyle finishes off a combination with a left hook that forces Mielnicki to take a step back. Mielnicki begins to reestablish control, keeping the distance and working his jab. Coyle lunges in and lands a right hand on the inside as Mielnicki continues jabbing. Mielnicki closes the round well with a few connects on the front foot.
Coyle aggressive to start the round as Mielnicki looks to use the jab to keep space and set up a left hook. At the center of the ring both fighters trade back and forth, with Mielnicki landing a chopping overhand shot that hits the top of Boyle’s head and draws a warning from the referee. Down the stretch both fighters trade on the inside, each connecting on some solid punches.
Both fighters prodding with the jab, trading one and two punch combinations at the center of the ring. Mielnicki’s managed to slow the fight down and prevent the onslaught of punches he saw from Coyle earlier in the fight. Mielnicki landed the best punch in another slower, methodical round.
Coyle landed 16 power punches in Round 4, to Mielnicki’s 11. Mielnicki staying on the back foot early on, moving around the outside of the ring while flashing the jab. Coyle was unable to prevent Mielnicki’s lateral movement that round which slowed the pace following an exciting fourth round.
Coyle planting himself just outside of range, waiting for his opportunity to step inside and release quick combinations, landing well when he does. A cut has opened up above the left eye of Coyle now as both fighters slug in the center of the ring. Coyle connects on a thudding shot late in the round, but Mielnicki continues pressing forward despite getting buzzed there.
Mielnicki outlanded Coyle 14-11 in the second round. Coyle starts the round on the front foot, but it doesn’t take long for Mielnicki to reassume the role of aggressor. Coyle lets his hands go on the inside late in the round, releasing quick flurries of punches and connecting a few strong shots on Mielnicki that could win him the round.
Mielnicki connects on a jab inside the first minute and follows it with a thumping hook that lands clean on Coyle. Mielnicki walking Coyle down now, Coyle’s jab hasn’t been enough to combat the swarming pressure. Coyle connects on a right hand late, but it was Mielnicki in control the majority of the round.
It’s a back-and-forth battle between the jabs of Mielnicki and Coyle early on, but Mielnicki beginning to let some hooks loose as the round goes on. Mielnicki’s finding success changing levels with the jab, but not landing anything to make Coyle uncomfortable. Coyle connected on his fair share of jabs throughout as well.
Friday night’s three-fight card from New York City kicks off at 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN and ESPN+, with the main event ring walks expected to begin at approximately 10 p.m. (CT). Six preliminary fights will be streamed on ESPN+ starting at 4:15 p.m. (CT).
Top Rank’s three-fight card from New York City will air live on ESPN and ESPN+ on Friday, with preliminary action set to stream exclusively on ESPN+ ahead of the main card.
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The undercard for Davis vs. Berinchyk features rising junior middleweight contender Xander Zayas back in action in the co-feature, along with the return of promising New Jersey-born middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. in the main card opener.
Preliminary fights on ESPN+
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Keyshawn Davis enters his first world title fight as the favorite at -700, while Berinchyk is +475 to retain the WBO title in his first defense. The over/under is set at 10.5 rounds.
Odds via DraftKings, as of Feb. 13
Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk will square off for the WBO lightweight title in The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This is Davis’ third time fighting in MSG, while Berinchyk has fought in the U.S. once before.
Keyshawn Davis is 12-0 with eight wins by knockout.
Davis earned silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics before turning professional in 2021. Since joining the pro ranks Davis has worked his way to contender status, with three wins in 2024 securing him his first career world title fight, including a knockout victory over former world champion Jose Pedraza.
Davis is ranked No. 5 at lightweight by The Ring and No. 6 by ESPN.
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Keyshawn Davis is 25 years old and stands at 5-foot-9 with a 70-inch reach.
Davis has spent his entire career fighting in and around the lightweight division, which has a maximum weight limit of 135 pounds.
Denys Berinchyk is 19-0 with nine wins by knockout.
Berinchyk has risen up the ranks in recent years, fighting on highly publicized undercards as he worked his way toward a title shot. Last May, he upset 130-pound champion Emanuel Navarrete, winning a split decision and claiming the vacant WBO lightweight title in his first world title fight.
Berinchyk is ranked No. 5 at lightweight by ESPN and No. 6 by The Ring.
Berinchyk is 36 years old and stands at 5-7 with a 67 ¾ inch reach.
Berinchyk fought his first three bouts weighing in around 140 pounds before beginning to campaign at lightweight in 2016, where he’s remained since.
Berinchyk throws more punches than any other lightweight champion, averaging 60.7 per round, but the Olympic silver medalist lands just 13.5 punches per round, 22.2% of his total punches thrown.
Berinchyk stays active with his jab, throwing 24.6 per round and landing at a 12.6% clip, while he connects on 28.8% of his 36.1 power punches thrown per round. Berinchyk has a plus/minus of +5.9, fourth best among lightweight champions.
Statistics via CompuBox
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Harrison Campbell covers boxing for The Tennessean and high school sports for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @hccamp.
