Major Friday boxing cards are rare.
Thankfully, this Friday’s event, set for The Theater at MSG, is one of those rare cards. A legit world-title fight featuring Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KO), a megastar on the cusp, makes up the main event as he takes on Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KO) in a bad-blood fight.
The co-main event could easily be its draw, and Xander Zayas (20-0, 12 KO), an emerging superstar, is likely one fight away from his own title. Zayas faces Slawa Spomer (20-0, 11 KO).
It’s Friday, and it’s not in the main building at MSG, but don’t get it twisted—this is a real-deal fight card that boxing fans won’t want to miss.
Here’s how you can watch:
- Date: Friday, February 14
- Time: 8 PM ET
- Location: The Theater at MSG, New York City, US
- TV/Stream: ESPN Plus
Here’s a look at the lineup of fights:
- WBO World Lightweight Championship: (c) Denys Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Davis
- Xander Zayas vs. Slawa Spomer
- Vito Mielnicki vs. Connor Coyle
- Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias
- Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes
Berinchyk will be defending his lightweight title against Davis in a fight that was compelling on the strength of the fighters’ talents and the championship at stake. Unfortunately, an unwanted level of tomfoolery has been added to the mix to sell the fight.
Apparently, someone—Davis believes it was Berinchyk and/or someone from his team—sent a racist food basket containing bananas and watermelon to the challenger, who is African-American.
Some fans have dismissed it as a desperate attempt to hype the fight, but Top Rank has taken it seriously enough to release a statement.
If this gesture was a prank, it was a tasteless and egregious one. It’s a shame, too, because boxing is riding high, and cheap promotional tactics undermine the progress the sport has made in terms of organic appeal.
In any case, Davis is a dynamic young star, and his coronation as a world champion has seemed inevitable since he turned professional in 2021. Berinchyk, 36, isn’t interested in Davis’ story.
He wants to retain the title he won in a split-decision upset over Emanuel Navarrete in May 2024. Davis’ speed, length, and overall talent are seemingly the reasons he’s a massive favorite to win his first world title (a minus-600 favorite).
In the co-main event, Zayas will have the New York crowd behind him. The Puerto Rican super welterweight has always ignited the crowd in New York, and they will be with him against Spomer.
I spoke with Zayas in December 2024, and he confirmed the fight live during our interview. Zayas has made it clear that he wants a title shot if he beats Spomer, and that could come against someone like Sebastian Fundora or Bakhram Murtazaliev.
Be on the lookout for the post-event coverage. Here’s a look at the upcoming boxing schedule.
Upcoming Boxing Schedule
The year is shaping up to be another strong one for boxing with tons of big fights. Canelo-Scull fits in nicely on this list.
Boxing Schedule 2025
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Derek Chisora vs. Otto Wallin
- Location: Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester, GB
- Time: 2:00 PM (ET)
Friday, February 14, 2025
WBO World Lightweight Championship: (c) Denys Berinchyk vs. Keyshawn Davis
Xander Zayas vs. Slawa Spomer
Vito Mielnicki vs. Connor Coyle
Jared Anderson vs. Marios Kollias
Abdullah Mason vs. Manuel Jaimes
- Location: The Theater at MSG, New York City, US
- Time: 8:00 PM (ET)
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Jack Catterall vs. Arnold Barboza
- Location: Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester, GB
- Time: Noon (ET)
Oscar Duarte vs. Miguel Madueño
- Honda Center, Anaheim, California, US
- Time: 8 PM (ET)
Saturday, February 22, 2025
The Ring, WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF Light Heavyweight Championship: (c) Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol
IBF Heavyweight Championship: (c) Daniel Dubois vs. Joseph Parker
WBC Lightweight Championship (c) Shakur Stevenson vs. Floyd Schofield
WBC Middleweight Championship (c) Carlos Adames vs. Hamzah Sheeraz
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Israil Madrimov
Joshua Buatsi vs. Callum Smith
Zhilei Zhang vs. Agit Kabayel
- Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, SA
- Time: Noon (ET)
Monday, February 24, 2025
WBC World Bantamweight Championship: (c) Junto Nakatani vs. David Cuellar Contreras
- Location: Ariake Arena, Tokyo, JP
- Time: 2:00 AM (ET)
Saturday, March 1, 2025
WBA World Lightweight Championship: (c) Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr.
- Location: Barclays Center, New York City, US
- Time: 8:00 PM (ET)
Friday, March 7, 2025
The Ring Welterweight Championship: (c) Natasha Jonas vs. Lauren Price
- Location: Royal Albert Hall, London, GB
- Time: 1:00 PM (ET)
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Keith Thurman vs. Brock Jarvis
Michael Zerafa vs. Erkan Ay
- Location: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Australia
- Time: 3:00 AM ET
Saturday, March 15, 2025
WBA World Featherweight Championship: (c) Nick Ball vs. TJ Doheny
- Location: M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool, GB
- Time: 1:00 PM (ET)
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Callum Walsh vs. Dean Sutherland
- Location: The Theater at MSG, New York City, US
- Time: 9:00 PM (ET)
Saturday, March 29, 2025
WBO World Welterweight Championship: (c) Mikaela Mayer vs. Sandy Ryan
Bruce “Shoo Shoo” Carrington vs. Enrique Vivas
- Location: Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, US
- Time: 9:00 PM (ET)
Saturday, April 12, 2025
The Ring Welterweight Championship: (c) Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis
- Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
- Time: 8:00 PM (ET)
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Conor Benn
Anthony Yarde vs. Lyndon Arthur
Liam Smith vs. Aaron McKenna
Chris Billam-Smith vs. Brandon Glanton
Cheavon Clarke vs. Viddal Riley
- Location: Event at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, GB
- Time: 12:00 PM (ET)
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull – undisputed super middleweight championship
- Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Time: ???
