Undefeated star Keyshawn Davis will problem Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk for the WBO light-weight world title on the Madison Sq. Backyard Theatre on February 15, stay on Sky Sports activities.
Additionally on the invoice Puerto Rican standout Xander Zayas steps up in opposition to fellow unbeaten fighter Slawa Spomer and New Jersey-born middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr seems to be to upend world-ranked contender Connor Coyle.
Berinchyk, with a flawless 19-0 (9) document, spent practically a decade on the Ukrainian nationwide workforce as an beginner, the place his team-mates included pound-for-pound nice Vasiliy Lomachenko and two-weight undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk.
He received the European title in December 2022 on the Tyson Fury-Derek Chisora III undercard, notching a call over Yvan Mendy.
Eight months later, he bested Anthony Yigit on the Usyk-Daniel Dubois invoice in Poland, incomes him a crack at Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant WBO light-weight world title. He shocked the ferocious Mexican warrior final Might, tallying a break up resolution at Pechanga Area San Diego.
For his first title defence, Berinchyk will play the function of underdog as soon as extra, trying to derail the Davis locomotive.
“I am not going to make any large statements or bathe my opponent with compliments,” the Ukrainian mentioned.
“I am going to simply say one factor: Do not loosen up, dude! It will not be a simple battle for you!”
However Davis warned: “That is the chance I have been ready for. Denys Berinchyk referred to as me out, and I answered.
“What I will do should be seen to be believed.”
Davis ascended to the WBO No 1 rating in lower than 4 years as a professional, showcasing the talents that made him essentially the most achieved American beginner of his technology.
He graduated to 10-rounders in 2023, knocking out Yigit and dominating former European champion Francesco Patera to start out the yr.
The one blemish on his document – an October 2023 resolution victory over Nahir Albright that modified to a no-contest after a constructive marijuana take a look at – proved to be a minor velocity bump.
He stopped former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza in February and overcame Mexican puncher Miguel Madueno over 10 one-sided rounds in July.
Davis authored a career-best efficiency final November, starching Gustavo Lemos in two rounds in entrance of 10,568 followers at a sold-out Scope Area in Norfolk.
“Keyshawn Davis has every thing it takes to be a modern-day nice, however he should first defeat an unbeaten, decided Ukrainian champion in Denys Berinchyk. This has all of the makings of a light-weight traditional in New York Metropolis,” mentioned Prime Rank promoter Bob Arum.
“Xander Zayas is dealing with a troublesome, undefeated child in Slawa Spomer, a wonderful take a look at for our Puerto Rican star as he nears a world title shot. And with Vito Mielnicki Jr. dealing with unbeaten Irishman Connor Coyle, we have now a sensational tripleheader in retailer for the followers.”
Xander Zayas mentioned: “Since I used to be a child, I all the time dreamed of creating New York Metropolis my second dwelling, and it fills me with satisfaction to know that with a whole lot of effort and sacrifice, little by little, we have now been receiving increasingly more love from my Puerto Ricans from ‘The Large Apple’.
“Combating in entrance of my individuals at Madison Sq. Backyard is all the time an excellent honour, and I am unable to wait to provide them an excellent evening of boxing.
“I’ll present I’m able to problem for a world title at 154lbs. I can’t again down!”
Watch Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis stay on Sky Sports activities on Feburary 15