Keyshawn Davis’ homecoming championship boxing match against Edwin De Los Santos on Saturday night has been called off.
Davis, a Norfolk native who became a World Boxing Organization champion on Feb. 14, was scheduled to fight De Los Santos on Saturday night at Scope, but and the sides could not come to an agreement to keep the bout intact.
Davis, 26, will be stripped of his World Boxing Organization lightweight title because he came in at 139.3 pounds — 4.3 pounds over the 135-pound limit — during a weigh-in Friday in Norfolk.
Saturday’s boxing card at Scope “will proceed with a new main event, the 10-round lightweight showdown between the unbeaten Abdullah Mason and Namibian contender Jeremia Nakathila,” Evan Korn, Director of Communications and Fighter Development for Top Rank wrote in a press release late Friday.
The junior welterweight fight bout between Kelvin Davis — Keyshawn Davis’ brother — and Nahir Albright has been elevated to co-feature.
Mason-Nakathila and Davis-Albright will be televised live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ starting at 10 p.m. The undercard, streaming live and on ESPN+, will now begin at 6 p.m.
“Patrons seeking a refund should contact their original point of purchase,” according to Top Rank’s release. “The deadline for refunds is 5 p.m. on Saturday.”
Keith Idec, a senior writer/columnist for The Ring, reported on X Friday night that Davis and De Los Santos “initially agreed to move forward with the fight” as long as Davis did not weigh more than 149½ pounds Saturday. But, Idec wrote, “De Los Santos and his handlers later prioritized safety & decided not to go through with the fight.”
Sports editor Jami Frankenberry contributed to this story.
