Keyshawn Davis and Gervonta Davis‘ feud goes back almost a year. Even after his victory over Gustavo Lemos last year, the WBO lightweight champion refused to pull his punches. “He’s been tricking the boxing game for too long. He makes st look good. He makes sh*t look better than what it is,” Davis said bluntly in a post-fight interview. He didn’t stop there, doubling down with the jab, “What kind of resume he got? He don’t f**ing have a resume, man.” The 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, now 13-0, added to the critique not too long ago. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Keyshawn Davis said, “I ain’t going to lie, I think Tank is just thinking on a different stratosphere right now. I feel like he’s chasing that Jake Paul fight. … I don’t really think he’s paying attention to us at this point.”

Despite the mutual dislike for a fellow 135 lbs champion, Keyshawn Davis seems to be speaking in the same tongue as Tank. The lightweight sensation, known for his swift rise and charismatic presence, revealed, like Tank Davis, he too isn’t planning on overstaying his welcome inside boxing’s unforgiving ropes. The revelation arrived during an absorbing 22-minute chat with boxing legend Andre Ward for the Top Rank YouTube channel ahead of his June 7 title defense in his hometown. In a sport where fighters often cling to glory far past their prime, Keyshawn Davis is crystal clear about his timeline. “I honestly want to start getting into streaming,” Davis candidly admitted to Ward. “I think I would be a great promoter. I just want to use boxing to put me [into] other things.”

This candid admission isn’t typical in the sweet science, especially at such an early stage of a burgeoning career. Davis, however, seems content to break tradition, reflecting on the fleeting nature of athletic fame. “I can’t love this too much, because this is gonna come and go. And once it’s gone, I can’t keep fighting… I love this sport for sure, but just for the moment,” Davis asserted, emphasizing practicality over passion.

The 26-year-old echoed advice shared by friend and fellow lightweight superstar Shakur Stevenson. The Businessman recounted Stevenson’s poignant reminder, “After I retire, I still gotta live another 50 [years]!” These words, simple yet profound, underscore the cautious approach Davis has toward his future in boxing and beyond. Yet, for now, Keyshawn Davis remains firmly in boxing’s spotlight.

Though he is already looking to life after boxing, he has an opponent at hand that is planning to halt his march to lightweight supremacy—Edwin De Los Santos. Set for June 7, once again on home turf, with ESPN broadcasting his anticipated title defense.

But first, there’s business at home for Keyshawn Davis

Before Keyshawn Davis can even think of diversifying into promotion or streaming, he’s got a serious test staring him down inside Scope Arena in his Norfolk backyard. Edwin De Los Santos, the hard-hitting Dominican southpaw, may be coming off a prolonged absence, but he isn’t showing up just to shake off rust—he’s arriving with intentions of snatching Davis’ WBO lightweight belt and rewriting his career arc.

Despite De Los Santos’ 18-month layoff since a forgettable clash with Shakur Stevenson, Keyshawn Davis isn’t underestimating the 25-year-old’s return. “He’s not an old fighter,” Keyshawn Davis told The Ring. “He’s young. De Los Santos is very young. … Maybe the first two rounds he probably gonna have to wait till he gets settled in and get back in that groove. But in terms of him being off and being slower, I don’t think that at all.” While Davis is sharp from four recent bouts—most notably a dominant knockout of Denys Berinchyk in February—the challenger has youth, hunger, and a rested body on his side.

However, Edwin De Los Santos, for his part, views his break not as an absence but a strategic pause. Speaking to BoxingScene, he clarified: “I took a long time to recover but it was intentional, for the most part. I’m confident that I will be at one hundred and ten percent on fight night.” He also brushed off any suggestion of rust with the calm of a man who’s been here before: “During those 19 months, I didn’t take any punches. My body rested … I’m just ready to fight.” And fight, he must—his reputation still stings from that stylistic stalemate against Shakur Stevenson, where the pair combined for a meager 105 landed punches.

What many may have forgotten is how explosive the Dominican was before that ill-fated Stevenson bout. He not only bounced back from an upset loss to William Foster with three successive wins, but also shocked the boxing world by demolishing Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela—undefeated and heavily favored—within three rounds. That statement win, taken on short notice, propelled him into title contention. But a medical scare—a blood clot in his leg—sidelined him further, delaying his shot at redemption. Despite that, De Los Santos remains defiant, promising fireworks against Keyshawn Davis: “Shakur didn’t come to fight, he came to run. … I don’t expect that to be the case against Keyshawn. He has a much different style and will be right there, ready to fight.”

Edwin De Los Santos made one thing crystal clear: “After I win this world title, everything will be different.” For a man who’s often had to wait for opportunity rather than dictate it, this Saturday’s ESPN main event offers a rare chance to shift the narrative. If he can test—and topple—‘The Businessman’ in his own backyard, then De Los Santos will no longer be on hold for greatness. He’ll be holding it in his hands.