BY KEITH IDEC April 18, 2023
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
NEWARK, New Jersey – Keyshawn Davis didn’t mention Frank Martin’s name once on the night on his most recent win.
It was obvious, of course, that the ambitious, unbeaten lightweight was talking about Martin when he referenced “Errol Spence’s little dude” and “that kid over there at PBC.” Davis didn’t mind coming off as disrespectful in the immediate aftermath of brutally beating Anthony Yigit because he doesn’t think Martin has shown him any respect when reporters and videographers have asked Martin about him.
An adamant Davis (8-0, 6 KOs) is hopeful that he can settle his beef with the undefeated Martin in the near future.
“If I keep doing what I’m doing, it’s gonna be very possible real soon,” Davis told a small group of reporters at ringside following his ninth-round stoppage of Yigit at Prudential Center. “And I don’t need no belt for me to fight him. I wanna fight – period – for respect. I don’t care about no belts. This generation is about putting on great fights and I wanna put on that fight.”
Davis claimed Martin and his promoter – undefeated, unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. – have spoken as if Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) is levels above him.
The left-handed Martin dominated Dominican contender Michel Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) in his last fight – a 12-rounder December 17 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Davis, a 2021 Olympic silver medalist from Norfolk, Virginia, is still certain that he has a higher profile than Martin.
“They just really talkin’ out the side of they neck,” Davis said, “like they just a bigger and better fighter than me, knowing doggone well that he knew me way before I even knew him. And he already know what I’m coming with, so either he put some respect on my name or you gonna fight me.”
Common complications of the boxing business – primarily competing promoters and platforms – could prevent Davis-Martin from materializing in the foreseeable future. Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. promotes Davis, whose fights are televised by ESPN. Indianapolis’ Martin is promoted by Spence’s company, affiliated with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions and the southpaw’s fights are broadcast by Showtime.
“I think that would be put aside,” Davis said. “Like I said, if they really want the fight, then we can make that fight happen. Because the fans wanna see that fight. You know what I’m saying? It could be the co-main on Terence Crawford-Errol Spence. It don’t matter. I just wanna – I don’t care nothing about the politics of the business. I want that fight and I want the fans to know I want that fight. And I don’t know what they got going on, but I want that fight.”
The 24-year-old Davis expects to return to the ring at some point in July, in another bout ESPN will televise. When asked whether Martin would want to face him next after watching what Davis did to Yigit (26-3-1, 10 KOs), who is also a southpaw, Davis demonstratively replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care. I’m just letting the fans know I want that fight, whether he’s running or ducking or don’t want the fight or not. I want that fight and I want the fans to know that.”
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