Keyshawn Davis To Defend WBO 135-lb Title Against Edwin De Los Santos This Saturday

Keyshawn Davis said in an interview this week that Andy Cruz’s team has said “No” to a fight between them. Davis (13-0, 9 KOs) says the 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs), isn’t “ready” to fight him. If the fight did happen, he would knock out Cruz, even though he lost to him four times in the amateurs.

Andre Ward asked Keyshawn in an interview with Top Rank if he wants to fight Andy Cruz, and he looked nervous and shifty-eyed, like he was under the hot lights during an interrogation session. The way that Ward kept pressing Keyshawn, you could tell that he’s got some doubts. Why would Cruz want to avoid fighting a guy he beat so easily four times in the amateurs?

Keyshawn Defends WBO Title

Rather than fight Cruz, Keyshawn is defending his WBO 135-lb title against Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) this Saturday, June 7th, at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. The event will be shown live on ESPN and ESPN+. The event starts at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. The approximate start time of the Davis-De Los Santos main event is at 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT.

“People are calling me out now. I’m getting attention because I got a belt now. So now they feel like the fights are lucrative now,” said Keyshawn Davis to Top Rank Boxing about him being called out now that he holds the WBO lightweight title. “So, now they start mentioning me.

“I don’t get offended. My name is ‘The Businessman,’” said Keyshawn when asked if he gets offended being called out. “I take anything in this sport as business. Keep mentioning me. That Cuban dude [Andy Cruz]. Yeah, keep mentioning me. Every time you fight on DAZN, my name keeps being brought up. Keep mentioning me.”

“Are you going to fight him in the pros?” said Andre Ward to Keyshawn about fighting Andy Cruz

“Hell yeah,” said Davis about Cruz.

“How do you think a fight between you and him are going to go?” said Andre.

“Under six,” said Davis.

“You’re going to stop him?” said Ward.

Andy Cruz Not Ready?

“Hell, yes,” said Keyshawn, continuing about Cruz. “They ain’t ready yet. They’re going to see this and get on social media. ‘Oh, he ain’t never sent me no contract. He ain’t never talked to me.’ Yeah, you’re right. I never did talk to the fighter.”

“He’s on social media and he [Andy Cruz] sounds like he’s ready to fight now,” said Ward.

“But you got to sound like that,” said Keyshawn.

“You don’t believe it. Cruz isn’t ready for you,” said Ward.

“No, he’s not,” said Davis.

“Really?” said Ward.

“But we can fight, though. But they [Team Cruz] said no for right now. They said that,” said Keyshawn.

“I want to see that,” said Ward.

Fans believe Davis is avoiding Cruz because his career focus is on making money. Cruz would jeopardize his hustle with the careful matchmaking and maneuvering that have been done to turn Keyshawn into the WBO lightweight world champion. Davis has a good thing going right now with the way Top Rank is matching him, keeping him well-protected from talents like Andy Cruz, Raymond Muratalla, and Abdullah Mason.

Keyshawn Avoiding Cruz Fight

The Cuban Andy Cruz schooled Keyhawn in the 2020 Olympic finals, walking him down and dominating him in a one-sided fight. Since turning pro in 2023, Cruz has repeatedly called out Keyshawn but has been turned down each time. Cruz’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is amused by Davis’s reluctance to fight him. He’s seemingly proud that Keyshawn is avoiding Cruz, which is a sign that he knows he’s too good for him.