By Craig Daly: Lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis (9-0, 6 KOs) is taking what he refers to as a ‘stay busy’ fight against Nahir Albright (16-2, 7 KOs) this Saturday night in a ten round co-feature contest on ESPN.
Keyshawn is using this fight against Albright to keep active and to continue his climb to a world title at 135. He plans on going after one of the lightweight belts after they’re fragmented when current unified champion Devin Haney vacates or is stripped, which could happen soon.
Davis vs. Albright has been given a co-feature assignment by Top Rank on the Janibek “Qazaq Style” Alimkhanuly vs.Vincenzo Gualtieri card at Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas.
With an impressive performance on Saturday night, the 24-year-old Keyshawn Davis could steal the shot from the headline fight between Janibek and Gualtieri.
Hopefully, Albright can make it interesting by fighting hard. It’s important for Keyshawn to be seen in a real fight instead of another demolition job, as we saw from him in his recent wins over the hapless Francesco Patera and Anthony Yigit.
The event will be shown live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
The 27-year-old Pennsylvania native Albright has recent wins over Carlos Balderas, Michael Dutchover, and Estivan Falcao. For the most part, Albright has operated under the radar during his career, fighting lesser guys but doing well against them.
Albright was by lightweight contender Jamaine Ortiz last year by a ten-round unanimous decision in a fairly close fight. The lack of power that Albright showed in that fight allowed Jamaine to dominate him down the stretch.
Keyshawn Davis: “They’re already on notice. They know what’s going on, same as him. Hey knows how I’m coming, so he knows. He’s probably going to come to fight, but he knows he’s about to get f***d up.
Nahir Albright: “Alright, you’ll see on Saturday. I’m going to have a belt,” said Nahir when asked how he’ll be leaving the fight on Saturday night. “They’re all going to be in the building, watching me get strapped up.
Keyshawn: “He doesn’t believe that s**t.”
Albright: “You going to see it.”
Keyshawn: “We ain’t coming to play with you. He already knows I’m coming.”
Albright: “That’s good. I love it.”
Keyshawn: “I know you do. You’re going to really love it on Saturday. I hope you still love it on Saturday, actually.”
Albright: “You’re not scaring nobody over here.”
Keyshawn: “You don’t got to be scared to get f***d up. You’re not better than them either.”
Albright: “Yes, I am. You’re going to see.”
Keyshawn: “Keep talking, though.”
Albright: “You keep talking.”
Keyshawn: “If you miss it, you’re going to see it all over social. His a** is going to be on Sports Center, Sky Sports. I’m telling you, you’re really a rookie, honestly. I’m going to show it straight like that.”
Albright: “Alright. We stepped it up in sparring, I got all types of sparring. My little brother is in the crowd. He’s the best super lightweight coming up. I got sparring from him. He was supposed to fight Kelvin, actually. I don’t know what happened. It was supposed to be brother against brother.”
Keyshawn: “I can’t believe he said that. He’s lying. Come on, now.”
Albright: “Ask Top Rank.”
Keyshawn: “I’ll step on you. Set that up, and it could be brother warfare. Your brother gets stepped on after I step on you.”
Albright: “Yeah, okay.”
Keyshawn: “Me and my big brother are fighting on ESPN this Saturday. We’re not going to stop right here. We’re going to keep going.”
That was an odd & forth between Keyshawn & Albright, but it was a lot more interesting to watch compared to the comments from champions Janibek & Vincenzo during the press conference. Those guys had little to say, and there was no interaction to speak of.
Keyshawn ready to target 135-lb belts
“This opponent is a step towards a world title. He is a lower level. He gives me more rounds,” said Keyshawn Davis to Sky Sports about his fight against Nahir Albright this Saturday night. “He is not better than the other guys I have faced previously. It’s to keep me active.”
It appears that Albright was the best Top Rank could get for the 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn to fight for this card, as they surely would have matched him against a higher-level opponent if they had any takers.
Keyshawn should be fighting a better guy than Albright after his recent wins over Francesco Patera, Anthony Yigit, and Juan Carlos Burgos.
Albright would likely lose to all three of those guys, and that’s the disappointing thing about Saturday’s fight. Ideally, Keyshawn should be moving forward, not regressing like this in terms of his opposition.
“The plan is belts. Shakur [Stevenson] is already fighting for the WBC belt, and there is no telling what the WBO and the other belts are going to do. I am definitely one of the contenders,” said Keyshawn.
The IBF, WBA & WBO lightweight belts will eventually be stripped from Haney if he chooses not to return to the division in 2o24. Unfortunately for Keyshawn, that probably won’t happen until 2025, and it’s very likely Haney will sit on the titles until they’re stripped.
The lightweight belts validate Haney, even though he’s not likely to defend any of them ever again unless given the chance to fight Gervonta Davis in a big-money event.
