Keyshawn Davis Kos Denis Berinchyk & Wins the WBO World Title

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

New York, NY (February 19th, 2025)– In the main event of a nine bout card at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City, on Friday, February 14, 2025, Keyshawn ‘The Businessman’ Davis scored an impressive body shot fourth-round knockout of Denis Berinchyk to win the World Boxing Organisation World Lightweight title.

Davis, 13-0 with nine knockouts, Norfolk, Virginia, dropped Berinchyk, now 19-1 with three knockouts, Kyiv, Ukraine, with a liver shot in round three. Berinchyk, backed up the entire bout, at a size and reach disadvantage, incurred a bloody nose, and his face was immediately swollen for most of the bout due to blows received. Davis made short work of what was only an obvious matter of time before referee Harvey Dock ten counted out Berincyk on one knee at 1:45 of the fourth round. Davis’ brother Keon Davis also won the card’s opening bout.

The size mismatch in the lower weights was historically reminiscent of this reporter of Thomas Hearns blowing out the smaller Pipino Cuevas in the second round at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in August 1980. The taller, lanky, and long reaching Hearns was a giant muscularly built pipe cleaner. The world champion Mexican Cuevas looked like a little shrimp sent to the slaughter. The visual mismatch quickly became a brutal reality.

Berinchyk, not a hard hitter, tried switching to southpaw early on, but his face was already a swollen mess in round two, so the handwriting was on the wall immediately regarding how this bout would end. Berinchyk got exposed and proved not even to be a four-round fighter at this elite level. Keyshawn Davis joins Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford, Gervonta Davis, Derek Ennis, Devin Haney, Shakur Stevenson, and Brian Norman Jr. as another one of the undefeated elite fighters in the lower weight classes, and worthy of better opposition. Berinchyk was seen sleeping in his dressing room on the telecast, and did not seem motivated or serious for the battle to come by that omen. You never underestimate your opponent.

Anybody that (has) got the balls to step in the ring to fight me (let’s go). It’s (there are) two 135-pound division champions I would love to fight (in a unification bout, as in Shakur Stevenson and Vasyl Lomachenko). If they have got the guts to step in the ring with ‘The Businessman’ tell them to send me a contract,” noted Davis in the post-fight interview.

Result: Keyshawn Davis KO 4 Deni Berinchyk, Lightweights (1:45)

Keyshawn Davis wins WBO World Lightweight title

Referee: Harvey Dock. WBO Supervisor: Gustavo Olivieri

Madison Square Garden Undercard Results

Xander Zayas TKO 9 Slawa Spomer, Super Welterweights (2:01)

21-0 Zayas retains NABF and WBO NABO Super Welterweight titles over 20-0 Spomer

Vito Mielnicki Majority Draw 10 Conor Coyle, Middleweights

Mielnicki won 97-93 on the Real Combat Media scorecard. One judge had it 96-94 Mielnicki, overruled by 95-95 and 95-95 a draw. 21-0 Coyle appeared to win the tenth round. The IBF USA, WBC USA and WBO International belts remain vacant. Coyle cut on left eye in fourth round from a Mielnicki right hand. First bout for 21-1-1 Mielnicki at middleweight.

Rohan Polanco KO 2 Jean Carlos Torres, Welterweights

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic welterweight prospect Polanco is now 15-0, 10 kayoes

Jared Anderson Win 10 Marios Kollias, Heavyweights

Not impressive comeback performance by Texas’ 18-1 Anderson, but he needed the work.

Abdullah Mason TKO 4 Manuel Jaimes, Lightweights

17-0 Cleveland Ohio lightweight southpaw prospect Mason scores knockout number 15.

Juan Carlos Guerra Jr. Win Split Decision 6 Nico Ali Walsh, Middleweights

Chicago’s ‘El Fresnero’ Guerra scores split decision upset over Muhammad Ali’s grandson.

Juanma Lopez De Jesus (Pro Debut) KO 1 Bryan Santiago, Junior Flyweights

Pro debut for 19-year-old Caguas, Puerto Rico junior flyweight southpaw De Jesus.

Keon Davis KO 2 Ira Johnson, Welterweights

Welterweight brother of new WBO Lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis now 2-0.



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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].