By: Sean Crose
Keyshawn Davis took on Denys Berinchyk for the WBO lightweight title in New York on Friday night. The scheduled 12 rounder was broadcast live as the main event of an ESPN/Top Rank card. Davis was fighting in his first world championship event.
The first two rounds were sloppy affairs replete with holding and dirty tactics. It was, to be sure, a messy start to things. Yet a terrific body shot put Berinchyk to the mat briefly in the third. Berinchyk was still very much in the fight, but Davis had made his point.
Defending champion Berinchyk had a better fourth round for himself, but before the chapter was over, the man was sent to the mat once again, courtesy of another Davis body shot. This time, however, Berinchyk wasn’t able to beat the count. Sure enough, it was clear by the expression on his face as he hit the mat that he wouldn’t get back on his feet in time.
And so the world has a new WBO lightweight champion. The fight was messy but Davis was able to make his body shots count enough for him to end things early. The young Virginian deserves credit for being able to fight effectively through Berinchyk’s roughhousing.
Davis now finds himself in ratified air, for Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and Vasyl Lomachenko are his peers. That’s an illustrious group of athletes to say the least. Davis made quick work of Berinchyk, now he may get a chance to prove himself in the ring with some of the biggest names in the sport.
