Keyshawn Davis Stops Jamaine Ortiz In Twelfth Round Thriller

Keyshawn Davis, known to boxing fans as "The Businessman," delivered a resounding statement in the junior welterweight division on February 1, 2026, stopping Jamaine Ortiz in the twelfth round at Madison Square Garden, New York. With the roar of the crowd echoing through the iconic venue, Davis (14-0, 10 KOs) not only maintained his perfect record but also became the first to halt Ortiz (20-3-1, 10 KOs) inside the distance, stamping his authority as a rising force at 140 pounds.

From the opening bell, the co-main event of the Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson card had an electric undercurrent. Davis, a 26-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia, was making his debut in the junior welterweight class after a turbulent 2025 that saw him miss weight for his WBO lightweight title defense against Edwin De Los Santos, leading to a canceled bout and speculation about his future. But on Saturday night, Davis erased any doubts, controlling the action with sharp jabs, relentless body work, and a tactical acumen that belied his years.

Ortiz, 29, from Worcester, Massachusetts, entered the ring as a respected contender, his only prior defeats coming in competitive battles against world champions Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez Jr. Known for his herky-jerky style and quick hands, Ortiz sought to puzzle Davis early, using right jabs and nimble footwork to create awkward angles. In the opening rounds, Ortiz landed some crisp combinations, surprising Davis with his speed in the fourth round and even forcing Davis to adjust his own rhythm.

But Davis, a 2020 Olympic silver medalist and former WBO lightweight titleholder, soon found his groove. He started timing Ortiz’s advances, countering with uppercuts and sharp right hands. The fifth round saw Davis land a telling left hook to the body, momentarily stunning Ortiz and signaling a shift in momentum. According to BoxingScene.com, "Davis pushed his advantage even further the following round, catching Ortiz reaching to land his own right hand, and then using his jab to the body to frame Ortiz for straight rights."

As the fight progressed into the middle rounds, Davis’s pressure and accuracy began to wear down Ortiz. By the seventh, Ortiz’s movement slowed, and Davis ramped up the body attack, landing hooks that visibly affected his opponent. Ortiz, showing grit and determination, responded with aggressive flurries in the sixth and managed to land a straight left hand that briefly froze Davis. Still, Davis’s composure held firm, and he continued to chip away, round after round.

The tenth round saw Davis land a series of right hands, exacerbating swelling above Ortiz’s left eye—a mouse that would require a doctor’s visit before the eleventh. Ortiz, never one to quit, battled through a cut at the corner of his left eye and the mounting punishment. Yet it was clear that Davis was in control, both strategically and physically.

Then came the dramatic championship rounds. In the eleventh, Davis unleashed a left hook to the body that sent Ortiz to a knee for a count of nine. Ortiz, displaying heart, rose to his feet and survived the round, but the writing was on the wall. Davis, sensing victory, stalked his opponent with renewed vigor in the twelfth. With just seconds left, Davis landed a hard right hand that wobbled Ortiz, followed by another left hook to the body. This time, Ortiz crumpled to the canvas, and the referee waved off the contest at the 2:47 mark, sealing Davis’s twelfth-round TKO victory.

In his post-fight interview, Davis addressed the crowd’s earlier impatience: "I put on an amazing performance, like I promised you," he declared. "I heard y'all booing, but I gave you a knockout. You just got to be patient." Davis’s words echoed the confident, methodical approach he’d shown in the ring. He continued, "I just love being great. I keep digging and keep going. I just wanted to put on a great performance, and I feel I did that."

This win marked a turning point for Davis, who had bounced back from a year of adversity. After missing weight and parting ways with his longtime trainer Brian "BoMac" McIntyre—a move that separated him from former campmates like Shakur Stevenson and Terence Crawford—Davis entered the fight with a new team and a fresh outlook. The gamble paid off, as he not only conquered a durable opponent but also demonstrated improved discipline and focus.

Ortiz, for his part, showed the resilience that has defined his career. Despite being outgunned, he never stopped trying to turn the tide, even backing Davis up at the bell after the eleventh. But the accumulation of body shots and pinpoint counters proved too much. For the first time in his professional tenure, Ortiz was stopped, a testament to Davis’s power and precision at the new weight.

With the dust settling, Davis wasted no time in looking ahead. In a somewhat surprising twist, he called out WBO welterweight champion Devin "The Dream" Haney for a future clash. "Devin Haney is definitely on my hit list, and we're making that happen in 2026," Davis announced to the media. The prospect of Davis moving up yet another weight class to challenge Haney—a reigning champion at 147 pounds—immediately set tongues wagging in the boxing community. Haney, known for his slick boxing and defensive prowess, would present a formidable challenge, but Davis’s ambition appears boundless.

Saturday’s fight was not the only highlight on a stacked card. Bruce Carrington captured the WBC Featherweight Championship with a ninth-round knockout of Carlos Castro, while heavyweight Jarrell Miller edged Kingsley Ibeh by split decision in a bout more memorable for a lost hairpiece than fireworks in the ring. Yet it was Davis’s performance that stole the show, signaling the arrival of a new contender in the junior welterweight ranks and possibly, soon enough, in the welterweight division as well.

As fans filed out of Madison Square Garden, the buzz was unmistakable. Davis had delivered on his promise of excitement and shown that, even after setbacks, he remains one of boxing’s brightest young stars. Whether a clash with Haney materializes next or not, Davis’s dominant display against Ortiz has cemented his place among the sport’s elite. The business of boxing just got a lot more interesting.