Welp, Keyshawn Davis’ reign as WBO lightweight champion didn’t last long.
The 26-year-old missed weight ahead of his first title defense against Edwin De Los Santos on Friday, and now Saturday’s fight has taken on a different level of significance.
Here’s everything you need to know.
UPDATE
Keyshawn Davis vs. Edwin De Los Santos is now officially off. The new main event is Abdullah Mason vs. Jeremiah Nakathila.
Here’s the breakdown per Boxing Scene’s Keith Idec.
Davis Stripped of WBO Lightweight Title After Missing Weight
Davis officially came in at 139.3 pounds. That’s more than four pounds over the 135-pound lightweight limit. It wasn’t a near miss. It was a full division above. He would have been on weight if this was a junior welterweight fight.
As a result, he was immediately stripped of the WBO lightweight title. If you’ve ever heard the term losing the title on the scales, this is an example of that unfortunate but sometimes planned event.
I can’t say this was planned, but even if it was, in the eyes of some, this miss will result in a reputation hit for Davis. Missing weight is still largely viewed as being unprofessional. The fact that the weight miss happens ahead of Davis’ fight in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia makes it less than ideal from a fan standpoint. Still, it’s not something that is unprecedented or that Davis cannot overcome.
The fight will still happen on Saturday night, but Davis has officially lost his belt.
De Los Santos Still Has a Path to the Title
While Davis lost the right to defend his crown, De Los Santos remains in the title picture. He made weight at 134.7 pounds, meaning if he wins, the WBO belt becomes his.
If Davis wins, the title stays vacant and we would have to wait to see if he wants to get back into shape to fight to regain the title he gave up on the scales.
What This Means for Davis’ Future
While Davis still has the option to try to continue his run at 135 pounds, this weight miss likely spells the end of his time at lightweight. He’s always been a big lightweight and coming in over by that much suggests he may have outgrown the weight class.
A move to 140 feels inevitable now. There would seemingly be a path to a title fight with Teofimo Lopez at 140 or the winner of Richardson Hitchins vs. George Kambosos Jr., Albert Puello, or Gary Antuanne Russell.
Davis still has the talent to thrive in a new division and all of the potential fights are winnable for him.
The Fight Is Still On, and Here’s How You Can Watch
Davis vs. De Los Santos will still headline the ESPN card. Here’s the viewing information.
The undercard is scheduled to begin at 5:10 p.m. ET and will stream live on ESPN Plus. The main card kicks off at 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Plus.