Keyshawn Davis Seeks New Opponent After De Los Santos Declines Fight

Keyshawn Davis is reportedly searching for a new opponent after Edwin De Los Santos turned down a fight.

Keyshawn secured the WBO Lightweight Title in his previous bout by stopping Denys Berinchyk to secure his first ever world title, extending his undefeated record to 13-0. Reports indicated that he was in talks with De La Santos with a view to securing a fight in June. However, it is now alleged that De La Santos has turned down $200,000 to make that fight. 

De La Santos has not been in the ring since 2023, when he came up short against Shakur Stevenson in a WBC vacant lightweight title fight. Having the chance to secure another world title immediately in his next bout seemed too good to turn down. However, it seems that the financials are not enough to get De La Santos back in the ring. If that is the case, Keyshawn must decide what he should do next. There is the chance to increase the purse in order to get that fight over the line. Alternatively, Keyshawn could look elsewhere. 

He did say that he wanted to fight Isaac Cruz after beating Berinchyk. The problem is that Cruz has been fighting at 140 pounds. However, following his WBA Junior Welterweight Title loss, there may be a narrative that Cruz could move back down to 135 pounds.

Keyshawn has also consistently been linked with a fight against Andy Cruz. Cruz has faced Keyshawn in the amateurs numerous times, beating him on four occasions. That makes it a very risky fight since Cruz does not have a lot of pro experience. In addition, he has no belts to offer. 

What’s Next?

Raymond Muratalla is another option. He is ranked number one in the WBO, meaning that could be the natural fight to make. Raymond is also undefeated with a 22-0 record, making him a very credible name. However, that is also a risky fight since Keyshawn would be giving Raymond his first big opportunity on the world stage.

While Keyshawn has previously ruled out a fight with Shakur Stevenson, that is ultimately a bout that could be made if Shakur cannot reach an agreement with William Zepeda. Since they are not with Top Rank together, it could be made to prove who is the best. 

“For sure, I’m not going to be at 135 for long. S***, I’ve been a pro for three years now. “Hell, nah. No. I don’t want to fight him [Shakur] because I just don’t. I’m saying this because I’m just knowing. This is like the kickoff for my career. A lot of attention is getting on me. This is like the kickoff, the turning point. So, I got many more years to go. People aren’t going to be talking about this. This is just the beginning. I got 140 and 147, I can touch for sure,” Keyshawn said 

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