Promoter Eddie Hearn says he spoke with Keyshawn Davis last night and was “winding him up” about Andy Cruz following the Cuban talent’s victory over Omar Salcido at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
Hearn reminded Keyshawn that he’d fought Cruz four times in the amateurs and lost every time. He told Davis that he has a “mental block’ from those losses and is haunted by the memories. It did something to him.
5-0 and a Nightmare
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) is being fast-tracked to a world title and being matched against talented opposition to get him a belt quickly.
He made Salcido (20-2, 14 KOs) look easy last night, besting him by a 10-round unanimous decision by the scores 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92. Salcido is a very good fighter, but he was out of his league against Cruz.
“I was winding Keyshawn up. I like him. He was saying, ‘You know I beat him [Andy Cruz]. You know I beat him.’ I said, ‘Mate, he’s in your head. You’ve got a mental block with Andy Cruz. You know you can’t beat him. You fought him four times, and you never beat him.’ ‘Well, that was in the amateurs.’ ‘Look, you’re angry again.’ I was just winding him up,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV, discussing his conversation with Keyshawn Davis about how problems with Cuban talent Andy Cruz.
“Andy is brilliant. I think people forget how good Salcido was as well. I think he’s going to get better and better against better opposition,” Hearn continued about Cruz. “I think sometimes he switches off when he gets bored when he knows how easy it is, and he’s just really, really good.
“The IBF,” said Hearn when asked where he moves Cruz. “If Loma retires, it’s going to be Abdullaev against Muratalla, where it is anyway for the interim, and Andy is next in line.”
Andy Cruz against the winner of the Raymond Muratalla vs. Zaur Abdullaev would be a good fight, but it would be no more competitive than last night’s opponent, Omar Salcido. Muratalla is just a slugger with one weapon, his right hand. Cruz would school him.
Abdullaev would be no competition at all. They might as well hand the IBF belt to Cruz if he faces the winner of the Muratalla vs. Abdullaev fight. Top Rank would probably resist letting Muratalla fight Cruz if he gets his hands on the IBF belt.
“That depends on Keyshawn Davis,” said Hearn when asked how far away is a fight between Andy Cruz and Keyshawn. “Keyshawn is going to fight [WBO lightweight champion Denys] Berinchyk [next]. That’s an easy fight. So, he wins that and becomes the WBO world champion.
“Tell me another fight in the lightweight division outside of Tank. He’s 140 pounds,” said Hearn when the interviewer mentioned Teofimo Lopez’s name as an option for Keyshawn to fight after he captured the WBO lightweight title from Berinchyk on February 14th.
Ducking Cruz?
It’s the same thing with the Muratalla-Abdullaev fight. Top Rank promotes Keyshawn Davis, and they’re not going to want to allow him to fight Andy Cruz, knowing that his chances of losing will be high. They’re trying to turn Keyshawn into their next star with careful matchmaking.
Moreover, he’s repeatedly rejected fighting Cruz. So, it’s not just Top Rank that doesn’t want this fight. Keyshawn would have to be dragged into the ring for a fight against Cruz because he knows his career would be upended permanently if he fights him. Keyshawn is a classic example of a hype job. Let’s get that out there.
Fighting Cruz would spotlight what Keyshawn is, and he will resist that fight with every ounce of energy he has. Top Rank will likely help. If Keyshawn gets his hands on the WBO belt next month, he’ll vacate it if Cruz becomes his mandatory challenger and the fight is ordered. That’s my prediction.
“There’s two fights that people will say, ‘I’m more interested in than Andy Cruz.’ That’s Tank, which I don’t think will happen this year, and Shakur,” continued Hearn. “That’s his [Keyshawn] best mate. They’re never going to fight. Tell me a more intriguing fight, a better narrative, more competitive than Keyshawn Davis against Andy Cruz.”
The Easy Path
Hearn is right. Cruz is the best fight out there for Keyshawn, but he’s wrong if he thinks it will happen. Eddie is not an American, and he doesn’t know people from the U.S. well. Keyshawn is so easy to read. He wants an easy life and money, and he will NEVER fight Cruz again.
“So, for me, I think it’s a natural fight. They fought four times. Andy Cruz has won every time,” said Hearn. “He calls him his son, and the build-up is going to be great. It’s a brilliant fight, and it’s a 50-50 fight. Keyshawn is looking really good. He has great experience in the pros now, and Andy only has five fights.”
Cruz is going to make Keyshawn look like the pure duck that he is, and fans will notice. He’ll always look #2. It doesn’t matter how well Top Rank maneuvers Keyshawn to make him look better than he is.
“Andy just beat Salcido tonight. [Antonio] Moran last time. He’s moving fast, and he’s a hell of a talent,” said Hearn.
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