- Keyshawn Davis headlines his hometown Scope Arena tonight, 14-0 and 16-1 favourite to stop Nahir Albright in their rematch at 140
- Davis scaled 140.2, stripped to 140.1 and finally hit 140 on the second time of asking — the cleanest version of a messy weight cut
- First fight in 2023 ended in a no-contest after a marijuana positive — only a stoppage tonight buries the story for good
The Mess That Won't Die Without A Finish
Right then. Norfolk on a Saturday night, and Keyshawn Davis walks into the Scope Arena with a hometown crowd, a 14-0 record and a story that simply will not go away. He beat Nahir Albright the first time, then tested positive for marijuana and saw the result wiped to a no-contest. Three years later, here we go again — same two men, same disputed feeling in the air, twelve rounds at 140 and DAZN on the broadcast.
Let's not beat around the bush. Davis is levels above on talent, on power, and on the basic eye test. He's a 2020 Olympic silver medallist who looked sharp dropping Jamaine Ortiz in January. Albright has gone 1-1 since the first meeting and lacks the punch to keep Keyshawn honest at 140. On paper this is a routine night.
The Weight Saga, Buried
The bit that got nervous yesterday was the scale. Davis hit 140.2lbs first time. Stripped naked. Came in at 140.1. Took another hour. Made 140 dead on the second time of asking. Top Rank exhaled. Norfolk exhaled.
It's not the first time. Davis vacated a title last year because of a weight miss and the pattern is not great for someone still meant to be a lightweight. The truth is he's a super-lightweight from here whether the camp wants to call it that or not. Tonight is the first 140 fight that confirms the move properly.
What Wins It For Albright
Honest answer? Nothing. Albright is a tough out who can box on the back foot and he is going to make Davis work for chunks of the middle rounds, but he doesn't have the gears to take this off the home fighter. The only way Albright wins is if Davis is hollow from the cut and his legs disappear in the championship rounds. That is not a Davis pattern I have seen yet.
The Norfolk Pick
Stoppage. Has to be a stoppage. A points win — even a wide points win — keeps the conversation alive and Albright knows it. He has already done the rounds saying he beat Keyshawn first time, his camp has already implied the rematch is being made under suspicious officiating, and the whole story is desperate for an ending.
Keyshawn by TKO inside ten. He'll fold Albright with a left to the body somewhere in the eighth or ninth round, the place will go up, and the marijuana story finally drops off the front page in Norfolk.
If you know, you know — Davis fighting in his actual hometown is a different animal to Davis fighting at MSG. Brilliant night of boxing coming.