“Hey Gervonta—knock, knock.” Keyshawn Davis‘ words echoed across the Scope Arena. In front of a raucous hometown crowd in Norfolk, Virginia, ‘The Businessman,’ who turns 26 at the end of next month, outboxed and outmaneuvered a hapless Gustavo Lemos, delivering one of the finest performances of last year. The victory cemented the Olympic silver medalist’s position among the lightweight division’s elite. Three months after that fight, Keyshawn Davis will return to the ring for his first shot at a world title.

He will face WBO champion Denys Berinchyk in what promises to be a pivotal moment in his career. With aspirations of world championship glory, Davis feels his time has arrived. He has his sights set on some of the biggest names in the 135-pound division to realize his ambitions. Perhaps the most prominent is Gervonta Davis, who is also preparing to defend his title against Lamont Roach Jr. on March 1. Ahead of his clash with Berinchyk, ‘The Businessman’ joined Shakur Stevenson and Terence Crawford in Las Vegas to support their stablemate, Steven Nelson. In a recent interview, he shed light on his past sparring sessions with ‘Tank’ and how his perspective on practice fights has evolved over time.

Keyshawn Davis: Primed when the time is right

A reporter asked Keyshawn Davis to reflect on his sparring experiences with Gervonta Davis. “What was the difference sparring him the second time around, kind of, you know, being older, more mature, kind of a better fighter? Just what was the difference first time and second time?” they inquired.

Keyshawn Davis acknowledged ‘Tank’ as a great fighter but also highlighted his own growth in the sport. He emphasized that their face-off would be a major pay-per-view event, selling out arenas and standing as one of the most exciting matchups in boxing.

The reporter recalled. Earlier in his career, Keyshawn Davis avoided sparring with certain high-profile fighters like George Kambosos or Teofimo Lopez. Maybe he feared he would ‘give the game away.’ So, “Why was it different with Tank?” they probed further.

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Keyshawn Davis explained those were different times. At 21, he still chased his Olympic dreams and wasn’t focused on professional matchups. His first sparring session with ‘Tank’ had been when he was just 16, long before he turned pro. “I ain’t going to lie; I did reach out to him, I think, like two fights ago to see if I can spar and sh*t like that because I never really, like, kind of like before we started talking sh*t to each other, I never really, like, like chase that chase for like reaching a Tank fight,” he said.

However, those hesitations are now in the past. Keyshawn Davis asserted that he’s no longer concerned about sparring or revealing his abilities in practice sessions. His mindset has shifted, and he’s fully prepared and eager to face ‘Tank’ in a real fight.

But does reality align with the truth?

For fans, these are certainly encouraging signs of growth and confidence. But the serious question remains: Is Keyshawn Davis absolutely ready to take on a generational talent like Gervonta Davis? ‘Tank’ openly stated his intention to retire by the end of the year. So time may be running out for such a matchup.

One fighter with experience sparring, Gervonta Davis, and other big names had weighed in on the matter some time ago. “There’s no reason for Tank to take that fight right now either, you know,” said Robert Meriwether during an interview.

He emphasized, “Keyshawn’s not a champ right now, and he’s not really bringing the crowd like Tank would, or, um, you know, he’s bigger, so you know he’s going to have the reasons not to fight him right now.”

Still, climbing the ladder with fights like the one against Berinchyk may help Keyshawn Davis. He will gain exposure and opportunities for bigger matchups. Who knows? If Gervonta Davis hasn’t retired by then, the fight fans hope for might finally happen.

What do you think? Is Keyshawn Davis ready to face a powerhouse like Gervonta Davis?