A weekend that was meant to celebrate the Davis brothers' boxing prowess instead spiraled into chaos at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. Keyshawn Davis, once heralded as boxing's next big thing and the reigning WBO lightweight champion, faced a nightmare sequence of events culminating in a canceled fight, loss of his title, and a shocking backstage brawl.
Friday, June 6, 2025, started poorly for Keyshawn when he weighed in at 139.3 pounds, missing the lightweight limit by a staggering 4.3 pounds ahead of his scheduled title defense against Edwin De Los Santos. This significant weight miss led to his immediate stripping of the WBO lightweight world title and the cancellation of the highly anticipated main event just 24 hours before it was set to take place.
Edwin De Los Santos, who made weight, was compensated with his full purse but was robbed of his chance to fight for the world title. Sampson Lewkowicz, De Los Santos's promoter, expressed frustration, revealing, "We renegotiated 10 pounds, more money, but we concluded that Davis never tried to make weight; He was dancing on the scale. I didn't want what happened to Haney and Garcia to happen. We canceled the fight." This candid statement underscored the seriousness of the situation and the perception that Davis was not genuinely committed to making the required weight.
The weight miss strongly hinted at Davis's intention to move up from the 135-pound lightweight division to super lightweight or even welterweight. Terence Crawford, a close confidant of Davis and a respected figure in boxing, weighed in on the situation. Reflecting on similar struggles he faced moving through weight classes, Crawford said, "He said he outgrew the weight. Nobody knows his body. It's time to move up." Crawford added, "Yeah, 45, 40, 47. That's why I moved up. All the weight classes, my last fight in the division was hectic. At 147, before I moved up, it was the same with 40, 35, the same way. I made weight though." This insight from Crawford lends credibility to the notion that Davis's era at lightweight may be over.
With the WBO lightweight title now vacant, attention turns to the division's top contenders. British fighter Sam Noakes, ranked number one by the WBO, and American Abdullah Mason, ranked second, are the frontrunners expected to contest the vacant belt. Mason, boasting an undefeated 18-0 record with an 88% knockout rate, now headlines the reshuffled card against Jeremia Nakathila, a seasoned opponent with a 26-4 record who has tested top fighters like Shakur Stevenson and Raymond Muratalla. A victory for Mason could set up a high-stakes title fight against Noakes, promising an exciting new chapter for lightweight boxing.
While the canceled fight and title stripping stole the headlines, the night’s drama was far from over. Keyshawn’s younger brother, Keon Davis, delivered a bright spot by scoring a second-round TKO victory earlier that evening, showcasing the Davis family’s ongoing talent in the sport. However, the elder brother Kelvin Davis suffered a major setback, losing his unbeaten record to Nahir Albright by majority decision in the co-main event. This defeat was significant, as Kelvin had been undefeated prior to this bout.
What followed Kelvin’s loss was an explosive backstage incident that further tarnished the Davis family’s weekend. Nahir Albright, who had previously faced Keyshawn Davis in October 2023 and lost by majority decision—a result later overturned to a no contest after Davis tested positive for marijuana—claimed that he was physically attacked by Keyshawn and Keon Davis shortly after his victory over Kelvin. Albright described the confrontation during an ESPN interview, stating, "Keyshawn and his little brother [Keon Davis] jumped me. They started walking up to me all tough, putting his head against mine, and then grabbed me. I was about to swing but my team and everybody grabbed Keyshawn."
Albright revealed that the altercation was not triggered by words but rather by the Davis brothers seemingly overhearing his celebration in the adjacent locker room. He recounted, "I was in my locker room and celebrated my victory with my team... Keyshawn and his little brother (Keon) came in and they started looking at me and was like, they saying something about his older brother. They was mad and he grabbed me, pushed me back. I'm grabbing his head. He moved his head towards my head," leading to an alleged headbutt that left Albright with a visible bump over his right eye.
The incident was captured on video and broadcast live on ESPN, showing a chaotic brawl with punches and objects thrown. Security and Albright’s coaches intervened to separate the fighters, and police escorted Keyshawn Davis out of the arena. The presence of Davis’s infant son in a stroller moments before the fight added a stark contrast to the violent scene that unfolded shortly after.
ESPN commentator Bernardo Osuna condemned the incident, saying, "Why would you put your family in this type of situation? It's just uncalled for and unfortunate what we've seen here at the Scope Arena." Former world champion Timothy Bradley was equally blunt during the broadcast, lamenting, "His stock just plummeted, to the floor. I was a Davis brothers fan. I was." Bradley’s remarks encapsulated the shock felt by many observers witnessing the rapid unraveling of Keyshawn Davis’s once-promising career.
The Davis brothers declined to comment publicly on the altercation, leaving the boxing community to speculate about the potential fallout. Albright indicated that he and his team were considering legal action against Keyshawn Davis for the assault. He also challenged Davis to settle their differences where it truly matters—in the ring—saying, "Keyshawn, you gotta run it back with me -- in the ring, not outside of the ring." This sentiment was echoed by Albright’s call for a rematch, emphasizing that boxing’s honor lies within the squared circle, not backstage brawls.
Keyshawn Davis’s weekend went from a potential career milestone to a cautionary tale in less than 48 hours. From missing weight and losing his title to witnessing his brother’s defeat and then engaging in a violent altercation, Davis’s actions have cast a long shadow over his future in boxing. The sport’s governing bodies and promoters will undoubtedly scrutinize his conduct, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to rehabilitate his image and return to the top tier of the lightweight or super lightweight divisions.
Meanwhile, the lightweight division itself is poised for a reshuffle with new champions emerging. With Vasyl Lomachenko’s retirement leaving the IBF title vacant and other belts defended by rising stars like Richardson Hitchins and Alberto Puello, the division is ripe for fresh rivalries and unification bouts. The upcoming fights involving Mason, Noakes, and others promise to inject excitement into a division that has just witnessed a dramatic passing of the torch.
For now, the focus remains on the fallout from the Scope Arena weekend. Keyshawn Davis’s missed weight and subsequent outburst have left fans and analysts questioning his discipline and future prospects. As Albright aptly put it, the time for settling scores is inside the ring—not in the hallways of the arena. Whether Davis can heed that advice and reclaim his place among boxing’s elite remains an open question.
