Keyshawn Davis says it’s unimportant to avenge his three losses to 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz from their days as amateurs because he’s now a pro.
Unfazed by Amateur Losses
The lightweight contender Keyshawn (10-0, 7 KOs) is complaining bout Teofimo Lopez, letting him know that he wants to avenge his losses to Cuban Andy Cruz (3-0, 1 KOs) before he considers giving him a crack at his WBO light welterweight title.
Keyshawn feels that he doesn’t have to fight Cruz because things are different now with the two in the pros, and fans don’t even know about his losses. That’s true. Casual boxing fans aren’t aware that Cruz schooled Keyshawn three times, but they don’t know who he is anyway.
The problem is, the hardcore boxing fans do know about Keyshawn’s three defeats against Cruz, and they’re the ones who watch his fights. It looks weak that Keyshawn prefers to fight weaker opposition rather than face Cruz again.
It’s troubling that Keyshawn thinks Teofimo should give him a fight because he’s asking for it, and he doesn’t feel he needs to earn it. Where does Keyshawn get an attitude like that from?
Where did the sense of entitlement come from? Has Keyshawn been spoiled so he doesn’t think he needs to earn things? It’s a bizarre attitude.
Criticism of Teofimo Lopez’s Opponent Choice
Keyshawn trashed Teofimo today on social media because he’s defending his WBO 140-lb title against Steve Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs) on June 29th at the James K. Knight Center in Miami Beach, Florida. He feels that’s a poor choice for Teofimo becaue fans don’t know who he is.
Keyshawn is fighting little known Miguel Madueno (31-2, 28 KOs) next on July 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
For fans that don’t know, Madueno LOST to Steve Claggett last year in 2023 in a lopsided 10-round unanimous decision. If Keyshawn feels Claggett is such a poor choice for Teofimo, then why is he fighting the guy that he beat by a one-sided decision last year?
The Amateur vs. Professional Debate
“‘Go get another belt at 140.’ I already got three belts at 135. What is another belt going to do for me? What is another fight going to do for you, Teo?” said Keyshawn Davis on social media, whining about Teofimo Lopez wanting him to earn a fight against him.
Let’s put it this way. If Vasily Lomachenko were told by one of the champions that he had to beat someone who had beaten him three times in the amateurs to get a title shot, I think he would do it.
Lomachenko wouldn’t come up with the same argument that Keyshawn makes on why he doesn’t have to try and avenge the three losses to earn a title shot. That’s what I mean by saying Keyshawn has a sense of entitlement. It’s a terrible attitude for Keyshawn or anyone to have to not have to earn something.
“He don’t want to fight. The pros and amateurs are different. So why do you keep defending Teofimo when he says, ‘Keyshawn, go get that win back from Andy [Cruz].’ He said, ‘He beat you three times.’ It was in the amateurs,” said Keyshawn on Teofimo wanting to avenge his three losses from the talented Cuban Andy Cruz from the amateurs.
Keyshawn’s attitude reeks of fear, and he’s spoiled rotten. Top Rank could have trouble with this guy unless they keep matching him against soft jobs the way they’ve been doing.
“Are pros and amateurs different? Do you know one person that Lomachenko beat in the amateurs, and he’s a two-time gold medalist with 396 [wins] and lost 1 fight? Do you guys even know the fighter he lost to [Albert Selimov in 2007] because I sparred him?” said Keyshawn about Lomachenko.
Loma avenged his one loss to Selimov by defeating him twice in the amateurs, so he did something that Keyshawn is unwilling to do by not facing Andy Cruz again.
“What do ya’ll keep talking about this amateur s***. Oh, because that’s the only thing y’all can talk about when it comes to me. I’m cool with that. ‘Don’t you know that Loma avenged his loss [to Selimov twice].’ I didn’t know that. The millions of fans that support Lomahenko don’t know that,” said Keyshawn.
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