The latest step in the career of Keyshawn Davis comes with the knowledge of the next one already in store.
It is why the 2020 Olympic Silver medalist and fast-rising lightweight inked a long-term deal with Top Rank upon turning pro just two years ago. Ten fights into his promising pro career, the 24-year-old southpaw is already several moves ahead even as he enters the ring versus Nahir Albright this weekend.
“I really know the next step, I can’t say who’s on the radar,” Davis coyly told BoxingScene.com. “I know the next few steps in my career as I keep winning. Every step is me getting closer to a world title.”
Davis-Albright will air live this Saturday on ESPN from Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas. The scheduled ten-round lightweight bout is the televised co-feature to the Janibek Alimkhanuly-Vincenzo Guatieri WBO/IBF middleweight title unification clash.
A win on Saturday should set up a fourth fight on the year for Davis (9-0, 6KOs), who already has his sights on a lightweight title in the year ahead. That part will depend on how the division shakes out over the next few months, though Davis is already ranked among all four sanctioning bodies and in the top ten with all but the WBC.
“It was part of the plan when we signed with Top Rank,” stated Davis, who is coming off a ten-round decision win over Francesco Patera on a July 22 ESPN show from Shawnee, Oklahoma. “It was the reason we signed with them. “Every fight I took and continue to take is always another step forward toward something big. We’re just living up to that.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox