Taking the slow and meticulous route up the pugilistic ladder wasn’t an appealing option to Keyshawn Davis. So, with an Olympic silver medal dangling from his neck, Top Rank, the promotional banner which he fights under, has placed him on the fast track.
Seven fights into his pro career, and Davis has yet to face an opponent with a losing record, a normal occurrence for young fighters attempting to get their feet wet in the pro games. But while Top Rank continues to place the 24-year-old in the ring with top-of-the-line opposition, Davis craves much more.
A shot at a world title, of course, is at the top of his wish list. However, a close second would be to exchange in-ring pleasantries with Frank Martin.
Not known as the most talkative fighter around, Martin (17-0, 12 KOs) has remained mostly mum as Davis continues his diatribe. Nevertheless, when broached with the opportunity to address Davis, Martin kept it short and sweet.
“Stay in yo lane,” said Martin during an interview with BoxingScene.com.
At the age of 28 and with his hard work paying off, Martin is seemingly just a few fights away from competing for a world title. Just this past year, the Detroit native thoroughly enjoyed the limelight he was thrust into.
After pocketing two stoppage victories against Romero Duno and Jackson Marinez, Martin moved into a winner take all bout against Michel Rivera. Considering what was on the line, countless observers believed that their clash would result in a nip-and-tuck battle. But, with the soft-spoken contender pounding Rivera from pillar to post, he’s eager to seek his next challenge. Although he isn’t short on options, Martin doesn’t believe that Davis is a realistic option at this moment.
With only a handful of bouts under his belt, Davis is hoping to establish himself as a true title threat by year’s end. But even after toying with the likes of Juan Carlos Burgos and Esteban Sanchez, Martin remains lukewarm on the 24-year-old. In his view, before a clash between them becomes feasible, the former Olympic silver medalist will have quite a bit of work to do in the practice room before he’s ready to truly challenge Martin.
“He good but he still got room to grow. He calling me out but he’s not ready for me.”