Imago
Source: SS_IG
Imago
Source: SS_IG
Following a year that saw him bounce between championships and controversies, Keyshawn Davis has rebuilt momentum with a stoppage win over Jamaine Ortiz. While pushing toward another title shot, he’s looking to keep that run alive.
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That trajectory has already put bigger names in his sights. The most striking target so far is Vasyl Lomachenko, who recently ended a roughly 12-month retirement.
“Loma, fight me for your first fight back,” Davis said while speaking with reporters. “Come on, let’s do it, Loma. Fight me, Lomachenko. I’ll come to Ukraine. I’ll go to Ukraine, you know what I’m saying.”
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Pressed on the idea of the matchup, Davis didn’t step back from the moment.
“Loma, you are a legend,” he replied. “You know what I’m saying. I’m going to start by saying that. You’re a legend.”
Davis reacts to Lomachenko’s return to boxing! 🥊
— Fight Hub TV (@FightHubTV) May 13, 2026
“Loma fight me for your first fight back!! Fight me Lomachenko, I’ll go to Ukraine!”- Keyshawn Davis pic.twitter.com/1z67d979Bs
But the tone shifted quickly as Davis made his intent clearer, pointing to another fighter from Lomachenko’s homeland.
“But if you decide to fight me, I’m knocking you out just like (Denys) Berinchyk. Those are facts.”
The call-out landed just a day after reports of Lomachenko’s return surfaced, adding to the surprise around Davis’ timing. Still, the move doesn’t exist in isolation.
Davis is coming off the Ortiz stoppage and is already scheduled to face Nahir Albright in Norfolk, keeping his own title pursuit active while bigger opportunities loom in the background.
Keyshawn Davis keeps his foot on the gas
That positioning explains the wider strategy. Davis isn’t just chasing names for attention. He’s working his way through the division.
He sits fourth in the IBF rankings at 140 pounds and holds the number one contender spot in the WBO rankings, where close friend Shakur Stevenson currently owns the belt.
Given that connection and Stevenson’s likely path, a Davis-Stevenson clash still feels far away. That leaves Davis mapping out other routes that keep him in the championship conversation.
One of those routes has already been tested. Right after the Ortiz win, Davis called out Devin Haney for a potential welterweight fight.
Months later, he also turned his attention to WBO lightweight champion Abdullah Mason, keeping his name circulating across multiple divisions.
At a press conference tied to the Top Rank-DAZN partnership, Davis made his stance clear.
“I want to fight you this year,” Davis told the Mason. “I want to fight you this year. You want to fight me this year? He keeps talking about whenever. I want to fight you this year. Can we make it happen this year? Are we going to make it happen this year?”
“I’m pulling teeth trying to get him to fight me. Do y’all see this sh-t? I’m pulling his teeth right now,” he added. “Are we going to fight? Can you make it? Look at you. You’re bigger than me. Bigger than me. I’m about to go. I’m trying to go to 147 to fight Devin Haney, the champion. Bigger than me.”
Against that backdrop, a Lomachenko fight naturally fits into Davis’ long game. A win over a proven Hall of Fame name would instantly change how he’s viewed in the division.
Lomachenko, long regarded as one of the most skilled boxers of his era, stepped away from the sport after stopping George Kambosos Jr. to win the IBF title.
For a stretch, he was linked to potential comeback fights, including talk of a Gervonta Davis matchup, before ultimately announcing his retirement.
Now, just as quickly as he stepped away, Lomachenko has re-entered boxing’s spotlight. But at 38, questions naturally follow about what version of him will return.
And that uncertainty is exactly what makes Davis’ call-out so compelling and what makes the idea of it so dangerous if it ever becomes real.
