Fresh off a spectacular performance against what many considered a step-up fight and a real risk against a battle-tested Gustavo Lemos, Keyshawn Davis passed the test with flying colors. Headlining for the first time in his hometown, he embraced the moment instead of letting the pressure of the ten thousand cheering home fans get to him. In doing so, he showed he has what it takes to handle the pressure outside of the ring.
His performance showed us that he can also handle the pressure in the ring. His game plan of not withstanding the pressure that Lemos brought to the table from the first bell was on point. He stayed on the ground, operated with surgical precision, and finished the fight in two rounds, delivering a spectacular performance in the process. And his stock rose instantly: young, skilled and spectacular, not to mention selling 10 thousand tickets for his first significant title. It is well deserved and can and should serve as a launching pad for a future illustrious career.
In his post-fight interview in the ring, he was understandably hyped up, working the crowd and being charismatic. However, he named Gervonta Davis in a way that left this author perplexed. Before we dive into it, let’s make one thing very clear: Keyshawn is supposed to call the biggest names. Being shy won’t get you anywhere, just like a closed mouth doesn’t feed you in the sport of boxing.
That being said, there was something about the way Keyshawn called Tank that was reckless, maybe even reckless. I understand perfectly that a fighter must have confidence, especially after a significant victory, but sometimes, arrogance and recklessness can disguise as a justified confidence in the mind.
Keyshawn might well be able to beat Gervonta, but his approach could end up being problematic. He shouldn’t let his significant win against Lemos hinder his long-term vision. Tank is no Lemos – far from it.
Gervonta hasn’t always fought the best competition here and we can agree to disagree on whether it was him who refused to take those fights or it was the politics of boxing that prevented that from happening.
But that doesn’t mean Keyshawn should call it quits with the foregone conclusion that he will beat him. There’s a fine line between being confident and letting the heat of the moment cloud your judgment, especially if that cloud lingers.
Criticizing a Bugatti because you haven’t seen it race with other powerful sports cars doesn’t erase the fact that under bright lights, it can easily reach 300 kilometers per hour.
And Tank is a Bugatti – a beast. His biggest attribute, which some fans tend to forget or even notice, is his very high ring IQ.
It’s also very patient and the primary purpose of that patience is to allow that IQ ring to bloom round after round with lethal results.
Tank enters the ring very cautiously of his opponent and immediately begins to collect the necessary data that will show him the way to victory in the stretch. And when that moment comes, it goes to death. Avoiding being finished by Tank when he has hurt you is almost impossible. No one from 130 to 140 and maybe even higher can take the power of Tank or predict the way he will deliver that power.
I didn’t feel like Keyshawn had this in mind during his post-fight interview. The way he called Tank gave me the impression of a fighter who does not entertain the idea that what happened to those before him can happen to him. If I’m right in my perception, Keyshawn has already lost the fight, as long as that happens of course.
If I were in Keyshawn’s corner, I would sit down with him and tell him to imagine the following scenario:
“It’s the seventh round, and you had your moments, but Tank took your shots, and started to step up his game. You’re there, you understand that the fight is not playing out the way you imagined it in your mind , and he has begun the process of increasing the pressure on you. Now, hesitate to let your hands go as you did in the previous rounds because every opportunity you see, every opening you think you should capitalize on, is perhaps a setup at this point in the fight. You’re guessing to shoot, because you can catch him naked with unpredictable shots, and you know that when the first one hits the target, the second one will end the fight. Then you start to understand what there is at stake, how this fight can make you an overnight star, but how losing badly is definitely a brutal stop to a promising career. The crowd goes wild, and the lights get brighter, and it’s only the seventh time … “
If such a scenario were to happen, can Keyshawn keep his composure, or will he crack under the pressure?
Teddy Atlas, who knows a thing or two about boxing, said that Tank is a complete fighter. This is probably the best compliment you can give a fighter.
I’m not counting Keyshawn Davis at all. I’m just worried that his self-confidence will be his downfall. As the great Khabib Nurmagemedov once said, “I take people into deep water, and they find out!”
When it comes down to it, we’ll find out who Keyshawn Davis really is. So he, for better or worse.
