Keyshawn Defends Against De Los Santos, Mason Faces Nakathila: Lightweight Doubleheader on ESPN, June 7th

It’s now official that Keyshawn Davis will defend his WBO light-weight title in opposition to inactive Edwin De Los Santos, dwell on ESPN on Saturday, June seventh, in Davis’ hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. On the undercard, Keyshawn’s brothers, Keon and Kelvin Davis, will see motion. The occasion might be proven on ESPN and ESPN+, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Inactive Challenger

There are some questions on why De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) was chosen because the challenger for Keyshawn to combat in his first protection of his belt. De Los Santos has three strikes in opposition to him:

Inactive for two years = ring rusty
Misplaced his final combat
Not well-known to informal followers

It could have been higher for followers if Prime Rank had bit the bullet and used Andy Cruz or Raymond Muratalla as Keyshawn’s opponent for the June seventh card. If he have been to lose to certainly one of them, at the very least Prime Rank would know what they acquired in him and dump him in favor of different fighters. The very last thing Prime Rank wants is a fighter they’ve to guard with delicate matchmaking to maintain his head above water.

The 2 foremost fights on the June seventh Davis-De Los Santos card had already been leaked. So, as we speak’s announcement by Prime Rank merely confirms what hardcore boxing followers already knew.

Mason’s “Step Up”?

Within the co-feature, light-weight Abdullah Mason (18-0, 16 KOs) fights Jeremia Nakathilia (26-4, 21 KOs) in a 10-rounder. That is imagined to be a step up for Mason, 21, nevertheless it’s extra of a lateral transfer from the form of opposition that he’s been dealing with.

Raymond Muratalla and Ernesto Mercado blew out the 35-year-old Nakathilia in two rounds. He was additionally soundly overwhelmed by Shakur Stevenson. Nakathila has gained his final three fights, albeit in opposition to low-level opposition.

Prime Rank seems to be nonetheless cautious of taking probabilities with Mason after watching him get dropped twice final November by Yohan Vasquez. That was a combat that confirmed what some had suspected about Abdullah. He has a chin drawback and might’t take a punch. Nonetheless, placing him in with Nakathilia does carry a certain quantity of threat, because the veteran has equal energy to Yohan, and if he catches Mason with something arduous, he’ll possible drop him.

The light-weight contender who was provided the combat in opposition to Abdullah, Floyd Schofield, needed $2.5 million, which is the form of cash that challengers obtain in opposition to widespread world champions. Mason is neither.