Keyshawn Davis Knocks Out Berinchyk in 4 to win WBO Lightweight Title

Keyshawn Davis stopped Denys Berinchyk in round four to win the WBO Lightweight title at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

In round three, Davis landed a left to the body that put Berinchyk on a knee for a knockdown. In round four, it was another left to the body to liver as Berinchyk tried to come in and throw punches that put Berinchyk on the deck for the 10-count at

Davis, 134.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Berinchyk, 134.6 lbs of Kyiv, UKR is 19-1.

Davis said, “It was an amazing feeling. Right before I knocked him out, I was hearing the crowd saying, ‘Norfolk! Norfolk! Norfolk!’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to knock him out now! Boom!’”

“I never really had problems with awkward fighters. The only thing that was giving me trouble was how he kept jumping in and out. And he was a little faster than I expected. As the rounds went on, I got more comfortable in there, and in the fourth round, I did it to him.”

“My son was here. I had to show up for my son, Keyshawn Jr. He was in the crowd watching me. It means a lot to me now. When he looks back at this day, he’s going to be proud of his father.”

“I want anybody who has the balls to step in the ring and fight me. There are two 135-pound champions that I would love to fight. If they have the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman,’ tell them to send me a contract, or I can send them one.”

Xander Zayas Stops Slawa Spomer in 9

Xander Zayas remained undefeated with a ninth round stoppage of Slawa Spomer in a battled of undefeated junior middleweights.

In round one, Spomer began to bleed from his nose.

In round nine, Zayas hurt Spomer with a left hook to the body. Spomer retreated to the ropes and Zayas pounced on Spomer with a flurry of punches until Zayas doubled over Spomer again with a another left to the body, and the fight was stopped at 2:01.

Zayas, 153.2 lbs of San Juan, PR is 21-0 with 13 knockouts. Spomer, 153.2 lbs of Heilbromn, GER is 20-1.

Zayas said, “I knew from the first round that he would wear down little by little. In the third or fourth, I hurt him, and he got me with a good shot. But I went to my corner, and they told me to keep fighting intelligently because we had 10 rounds to wear him down. And by the eighth and ninth, they told me, let’s step it up with the combinations, and we started to land with more power to get the finish.”

“On paper, he was my toughest opponent to date, and I stopped him. I have passed every test that has been put in front of me, and I feel I’m ready to fight for a world title right now. I want that next.”

Mielnicki and Coyle Battle To Majority Draw

Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Connor Coyle battled to a 10-round majority draw in a middleweight fight.

In round four, Mielnicki was bleeding from his mouth. In the same round, Coyle was cut around his left eye.

Mielnicki landed 146 of 546 punches. Coyle was 98 of 520.

Mielnicki, 159.4 lbs of Roseland, NJ took a card by a 96-94 tally while two judges had it even at 95-95. Mielnicki is now 20-1-1. Coyle, 158.3 lbs of Derry, NI is 21-0-1.

Juanmita Lopez DeJesus needed just 59 seconds to win his pro debut over Bryan Santiago in a four-round junior bantamweight bout.

DeJesus landed a left uppercut that put Santiago down and out.

Dejesus, 113.8 lbs of Caguas, PR is the son of former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Santiago, 113.6 lbs of Weslaco, TX is 1-2-1.

Abdullah Mason remained undefeated by dropping Manuel Jaimes four-times enroute to a fourth round stoppage in a eight-round lightweight bout.

In round Mason dropped Jaimes with a step-back left uppercut. Mason scored another knockdown in round three from another left hand.. In round four, Mason dropped Jaimes with a right hook that was followed by a left. Mason finished off Jaimes when he dumped him agaion the canvas with a straight left hand that was followed by two right hooks at 1:55.

Mason, 136.2 lbs of Cleveland is 17-0 with 15 knockouts. Jaimes, 137 lbs of Stockton, CA is 16-3-1.

“I said the same thing {about no longer being called a prospect}. We say the same thing. We want the belts, world championship,” Mason said. “I gotta keep doing what I’m doing and making these guys look the way I’ve been doing since I turned pro.”

Rohan Polanco stopped Jean Carlos Torres in round two of their 10-round welterweight fight.

In round one, Polanco dropped Torres with a leaping left hook to the temple In round two, it was a left hook that d put Torres down again. Seconds later, it was a big right hand that rocked Torres and one punch later the fight was stopped at 1:48.

Polanco, 146.4 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is now 15-0 with 10 knockouts. Torres, 147 lbs of Trujillo Alto, PR is 22-2.

Keon Davis stopped Ira Johnson in round two of their four-round welterweight fight.

In round two, Davis dropped Johnson with a left hook to the body. Then it was a flurry that was capped by a right over the top that put Johnson down for 10-count at 1:38.

Davis, 149.2 lbs of Norfolk, VA is 2-0 with one knockout. Johnson, 148.2l lbs of Kansas City is 3-3.

Jared Anderson won a 10-round unanimous decision over Marios Kollias in a heavyweight bout.

In round four, Kollias started to swell under his left eye.

ANerson, 256.8 lbs of Toledo won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 18-1. Kollias, 235.4 lbs of Pares, GRE is 12-4-1.

Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. scored an upset six-round split decision over Nico Ali Walsh in a middleweight fight.

Guerra, 1578.8 lbs of Chicago won by scores of 58-56 twice and 58-56 for Walsh. Guerra is now 6-1-1. Waksh, 15.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 11-2.




Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Set for Career-Defining World Title Shot Against Denys Berinchyk 

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 12, 2025)  Keyshawn Davis is on the verge of the biggest moment of his career.

Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) for the WBO lightweight world title this Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The 25-year-old gets his first shot at world title glory against a fellow Olympic silver medalist determined to hold onto his crown.

The fight took on a deeply personal turn during Thursday’s press conference after Davis accused Berinchyk of delivering a box of bananas and a watermelon to his room, an act he deemed racist, while Berinchyk dismissed the claim as a manufactured controversy.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican contender Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) looks to defend his WBO No. 1 ranking against fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs).

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) kicks off the broadcast in a 10-round showdown against world-ranked Irishman Connor Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Davis, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard begins at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT and features the pro debut of second-generation Puerto Rican star Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, son of former two-weight world champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez, in a four-round junior bantamweight tilt against Bryan Santiago (1-1-1, 1 KO).

Undefeated lightweight southpaw Abdullah Mason (16-0, 14 KOs) takes on Manuel Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs) in an eight-rounder, while Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (14-0, 9 KOs) looks to edge closer to a title shot in a 10-round welterweight clash against Jean Carlos Torres (22-1, 17 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

This is what the fighters said at Wednesday’s press conference:

Denys Berinchyk

“I don’t speak English, and I don’t write English.  I saw his message on social media. It’s weird even to mention this. Some people with bad intentions looking for some hype made that.”
 
“The first thing you need to do is make weight. And afterward, on Friday, we’re going to sort it out.”
 
“Since winning my title, I’ve been training the entire time. And I was preparing for this defense. Nothing changed too much in my life. We have a war in Ukraine. So, unfortunately, my life didn’t change much.”
 
“I never imagined myself fighting here. But I’ve been working hard for 25 years to make my dream come true and accomplish this assignment.”
 
“I have 355 amateur fights. I have more than 500 victorious street fights. I have one bare-knuckle fight that was also victorious.” 

Keyshawn Davis

“I want to address the fact that this guy came to America to give me bananas and a watermelon with a note on it. It’s unprofessional, and I feel like it’s racist. And you just made this fight a little more personal. This man brought a box of bananas and a watermelon to America to bring to my room. I took it as racist. So, I got something for you.”
 
“Ya’ll did it. It’s OK that ya’ll did it. I’m going to whoop your ass for it. Just know what’s coming Friday night.”
 
“It’s a real blessing. When he called my name out after he won his last fight, I had a feeling in my spirit that I was going to fight him for the world championship. I never thought it would be at Madison Square Garden.”
 
“You’re not tougher than me. You can talk about all that bare-knuckle stuff. I come from what I come from. I’ve been doing this bare-knuckle s**t outside the ring. So, all that s**t you’re talking about, I don’t care. I’m going to f**k you up this Friday. 
 
I don’t care about none of your experience or amateur experience. I don’t care about your silver medal. I don’t even care about your watch, your belt, or any of that. I’m going to f**k you up on Friday.”

Xander Zayas

“I feel amazing. Fight No. 7 here at the ‘Mecca of Boxing.’ New York is like a second home now. I’m excited to put on a show for the fans once again and to put the 154-pound weight class on notice. I’m coming for the world title next.”
 
“This means the world to me. He’s ranked at No. 11 in the WBO for a reason. He’s 20-0 for a reason. He has good victories behind him. But I’m looking forward to becoming 21-0 on Friday night and to the great opportunities coming next in 2025.”

“I’ve been here since Saturday. We had 10 weeks of training camp. I’m one step away from the main goal. I have to beat him to get there, so I’m going to prove that I belong at the elite level.”
 
Slawa Spomer

“I want to show that I belong at the top. Xander is also a top boxer, and I want to climb to the top. In order to get there, you have to fight the best fighters in the world. That’s why I’m here.”

“Camp with Roy Jones Jr. was amazing. So, two dreams have come true. One was to fight at Madison Square Garden, and the other was to prepare with Roy Jones Jr. The preparation and camp were very good. I’ve been in the game long, so I didn’t need to learn the basics. But now, I see different things because of what Roy has taught me. So, I’m proud of that opportunity.”

Vito Mielnicki Jr.

“This is exciting. I’m fighting on the main card on ESPN, which is another great opportunity. I feel blessed to be in this position.”
 
“The goal is to keep climbing and fighting better opposition. This is definitely my toughest to date on paper. And I’m just excited to show what I’ve been working on and how I’ve grown as a fighter. I’m going to put on a dominating performance on Friday.”
 
“This is everything I’ve dreamt of as a kid. This is everything I’ve ever wanted. So we’re going to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Connor Coyle

“I’ve been looking for big fights. But I never got them. It’s not like I was ducking or dodging people. I’ve just had to fight whoever was put in front of me.”
 
“I believe this is my opportunity now, and I’m happy this is at MSG.”
 
“You’ll see the best version of me. I spent 12 weeks in total away from my kids and family. It was the best camp I’ve had, mentally and physically. I’ve had the best sparring. And this is my opportunity, so I have to grab it with both hands.”

Rohan Polanco

“I’ve moved up in weight, so this camp was more intense, and I did more weight training. The sparring was intense, too. But for this fight, I feel very good. I have a lot of experience. I know that my opponent has a lot of experience as well. I think that with my boxing skills, I will walk away victorious.”
 
“My trainer, Hector Bermudez, is very intelligent. He is always teaching me how to adapt to professional boxing because I had such a long career as an amateur. We have meshed well, and I believe it was a great decision for my career to have chosen him.”
 
“The plan is to keep winning so I can keep positioning myself until I get a world title opportunity. That is what we are looking for.”
 
Abdullah Mason
 
“From my last fight, I learned to fight smart and make sure I listen to my corner. Every time I’m tuned into them, the easier the fight is. I did get up and do exceptionally well, but I need to fight smart.”
 
“I see myself up there with the guys who hold the titles. Skill-wise, I feel like I’m able to hold my own in one of those fights and come out on top. But we’re proving ourselves, and we’ll keep taking those steps forward. Hopefully, we grab a smaller title later this year.”
 
Juanmita Lopez de Jesus
 
“I want to make my people in Puerto Rico proud, so I’m going to show what I’m made of and what I bring to the table. This is definitely a different experience. I’ve never had this kind of attention before, so I’m very excited.”

Friday, February 14

ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Keyshawn Davis vs. Denys Berinchyk, 12 rounds, Berinchyk’s WBO Lightweight World Title

Xander Zayas vs. Slawa Spomer, 10 rounds, Zayas’ NABF & NABO Junior Middleweight Titles

Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Connor Coyle, 10 rounds, Vacant USBA, WBC USA & WBO International Middleweight Titles
 

ESPN+ (5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT)

Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Bryan Santiago, 4 rounds, junior bantamweight

Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes, 8 rounds, lightweight

Rohan Polanco vs. Jean Carlos Torres 10 rounds, welterweight

Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson, 4 rounds, welterweight

Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias, 10 rounds, heavyweight

Nico Ali Walsh vs. Juan Carlos Guerra Jr., 6 rounds, middleweight

*The Tiger Johnson-Quashawn Toler fight was canceled due to Toler being overweight. 




Denys Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Davis Fight Week Events to Stream LIVE on Top Rank’s Social Media Channels

NEW YORK CITY (Feb. 11, 2025) – Fight week has arrived for “The Businessman” as he closes in on his biggest deal yet—his first world title.

Undefeated U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) will challenge Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) for the WBO lightweight world title this Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The 25-year-old contender who began his pro career in 2021 now takes his biggest step yet toward superstardom.

In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, Puerto Rican sensation Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) takes on fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs).

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) will open the broadcast in a 10-rounder versus Connor “The Kid” Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard (5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT) will feature top contenders and a slew of decorated prospects.

  • Juanmita Lopez De Jesus vs. Bryan Santiago, 4 rounds, junior bantamweight
  • Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes, 8 rounds, lightweight
  • Rohan Polanco vs. Jean Carlos Torres, 10 rounds, welterweight
  • Keon Davis vs. Ira Johnson, 4 rounds, welterweight
  • Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias, 10 rounds, heavyweight
  • Tiger Johnson vs. Quashawn Toler, 8 rounds, welterweight
  • Nico Ali Walsh vs. Juan Guerra Jr., 6 rounds, middleweight

Original Programming

Blood, Sweat & Tears: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn: An inside look at both camps as they prepare for their most important showdown to date, with a deep dive into Davis’ path to his first world title opportunity.

Abdullah Mason: Appetite for Smoke: A special feature on rising lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason, the Cleveland-born uber-talent who is on the precipice of world title contention.

Blood, Sweat & Tears and Appetite for Smoke are available now on Top Rank’s YouTube Channel, while new episodes of Top Rank Real Time, a behind-the-scenes look at the fighters and their camps, will premiere every day throughout the week.

Fight Week Schedule:

Before Friday’s event, fight week activities will stream live on Top Rank’s YouTubeX (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Tuesday, February 11: Face-Off at One World Observatory
Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk meet face-to-face high above New York City.

Highlights from the event will be featured on Top Rank’s YouTubeX (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Wednesday, February 12: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Final Presser
2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTubeX (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Thursday, February 13: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Official Weigh-In
12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
Streaming live on Top Rank’s YouTubeX (Twitter) and Facebook pages.

Friday, February 14: Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Fight Night

Undercard Stream
5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT
LIVE and exclusively on ESPN+

ESPN Broadcast
9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+
 




Xander Zayas: “This is the Most Important Fight of My Career!”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2025) — WBO No. 1 junior middleweight contender Xander Zayas is knocking on the door of a world title opportunity, and a dominant showing could be the key to unlocking it.

The 22-year-old Puerto Rican phenom will lock horns with fellow unbeaten Slawa Spomer in a 10-round showdown on Friday, Feb. 14, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Zayas-Spomer will be the co-feature to the WBO lightweight world title battle between reigning champion Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) and American challenger Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs).

New Jersey-born middleweight Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (20-1, 12 KOs) will open the ESPN-televised tripleheader in a 10-rounder against world-ranked contender Connor “The Kid” Coyle (21-0, 9 KOs).

Berinchyk-Keyshawn, Zayas-Spomer, and Mielnicki-Coyle will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with K2 Promotions and Queensberry Promotions, tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com.

Zayas (20-0, 12 KOs) signed with Top Rank at 16 in 2019 and has become one of Puerto Rico’s most promising young stars. In 2024, he dominated former world champion Patrick Teixeira in June and decisioned Damian Sosa in September, solidifying his status as the WBO’s No. 1 contender. Spomer (20-0, 11 KOs), who tallied stoppage wins in 2023 versus Felice Moncelli and Milan Prat, returns after scoring a first-round TKO against Adam Ngange in November.

Following a recent training session in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this is what Zayas said:

“I’ve watched clips of his fights. He’s undefeated and knows how to adjust. He’s a good boxer, but I feel superior in every aspect. He’s a warrior, but I am the better fighter overall.”

“We’ve worked on everything. We’ve worked on defense, offense, countering, and using our angles. Based on my preparation and the kind of rhythm I’ll have in the fight, he won’t be able to handle me. I’m also ready to go the full 10 rounds. So, whether it goes the distance or not, I know I’m leaving with the win.”

“This is the most important fight of my career. I’m fighting someone who’s ranked and unbeaten, and the winner will likely get a world title shot this year. We’ve worked toward that goal for many years and are closer than ever. I’m highly focused on what I have to do, and I know I have to look spectacular.”

“For lots of people, February 14 is Valentine’s Day. For me, though, it’s a chance to showcase why I’m the best at 154 pounds and deserve a world title shot next. I’m ready to make a statement.”




SATURDAY: Slawa Spomer-Felice Moncelli Junior Middleweight Showdown to Stream LIVE and Exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+

(June 21, 2023) — Undefeated German contender Slawa Spomer will defend his WBO Global junior middleweight title against Italy’s Felice Moncelli in the 10-round main event this Saturday, June 24 at the Eisstadion in Spomer’s hometown of Heilbronn, Germany. 

Spomer-Moncelli and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. 

Spomer (17-0, 8 KOs) started his pro career in 2018 with a first-round knockout win against Robizoni Omsarashvili. In 2020, he dropped down to junior middleweight to defeat Philipp Wiesenhofer for a German title and has since made his mark in the division with wins over then-unbeaten Jose Gregorio Suero in November 2021 and a first-round stoppage against Victor Ionascu in June 2022. Last December, the 30-year-old defeated Egzon Maliqaj via 10-round unanimous decision. Ranked No. 10 by the WBO, Spomer looks to inch closer to a world title opportunity. Moncelli (24-7-1, 6 KOs) is an 11-year veteran who returns after a seventh-round TKO victory in a rematch against previously undefeated contender Ahmad Ali last September. 

In other streaming action from Heilbronn, Germany:

  • Former world title challenger Vincent Feigenbutz (35-3, 31 KOs) makes his 2023 debut in an eight-round middleweight fight against hard-hitting Argentinean Marcos Jesus Cornejo (19-7, 18 KOs). Feigenbutz is 4-0 with three knockouts since challenging Caleb Plant for the IBF super middleweight world title in February 2020. 
     
  • Undefeated Russian-born prospect Hamsat Shadalov (5-0, 1 KO) will face South Africa’s David Rajuili (13-10-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round lightweight tilt. Shadalov, who represented Germany at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, will make his third appearance of 2023 after decision wins over Claudio Lionel Baldomir in March and Khvicha Gigolashvili in May. 
     
  • Junior welterweight phenom Hugo “The Fresh Prince of Monaco” Micallef (6-0) will battle Poland’s Michal Bulik (6-3, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder. Micallef, the only active professional boxer from Monaco, signed with Top Rank in 2021 following an extensive international amateur career. 
     
  • In a clash between two undefeated junior middleweights, Germany’s Paul Wall (4-0, 2 KOs) and Moroccan standout Sifeddine El Moussamih (2-0, 1 KO) will collide in a six-rounder.

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