Bad To Worse For DB3 In Norfolk, Abdullah Mason Steps Up For Win

Abdullah Mason saved the show in Norfolk, Virginia, for Top Rank Boxing and ESPN on Saturday night. But Mason’s performance was overshadowed by the drama surrounding the Davis brothers who call themselves DB3.

It was supposed to be a victorious return to the Davis family hometown with all three brothers in action.

Eldest brother Keon Davis scored a second-round knockout win early on the undercard. It will be long forgotten after the total implosion this week.

Keyshawn Davis, who was supposed to headline a hometown fight card with his brothers Saturday, is now the former WBO World Lightweight champion after an epic failure to make weight for his fight against Edwin De Los Santos of the Dominican Republic.

De Los Santos and promoter Sampson Lewkowitz turned down offers to let the fight continue, deciding it was too dangerous with Davis so overweight. Lewkowitz said he felt Davis never tried to make weight. Top Rank reportedly did the right thing and paid De Los Santos his full purse. Davis loses his WBO Lightweight title without throwing a punch.

Kelvin Davis Loses to Nahir Albright, DB3 Loses Control

Nahir Albright took it to Kevin Davis, and got his revenge for the loss to older brother Keyshawn Davis in 2023. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

As Keyshawn and Keon watched from their seats, Kelvin “Nite Nite” Davis (15-1, 8 KOs) lost his fight against a determined Nahir Albright of Philadelphia (17-2, 7 KOs), losing a majority decision to the underdog by scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 95-95.

Davis bit off more than he could chew with Albright, who gave Keyshawn Davis a competitive fight in October 2023. That fight was rule a no contest after Davis failed a drug test, reportedly for marijuana. Albright came at the younger Davis like a freight train, unleashing power shots through ten hard rounds. In the first round, he snapped Davis’s head with hooks and upper cuts.

Albright was cagey and smart, crowding Davis to take away his jab and put on the pressure. By the time Davis got his act together late in the fight, he was too far behind and needed a knockout.

Albright hadn’t had a sanctioned fight since the scrap with the elder Davis, ruled a no contest due to a positive test for marijuana by Davis. But Albright racked up a record of 9-4 fighting single rounds as part of Team Philadelphia Smoke in the Total Combat League (TCL), appearing on two cards in April. It was a smart move for Albright to stay busy, even if in single-round fights.

Albright Wants Keyshawn Rematch; DB3 Didn’t Wait

Nahir Albright wants a rematch with Keyshawn Davis. DB3 decided they couldn’t wait. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Albright told RING Magazine’s Keith Idec, “Hopefully after I beat his brother, it’ll spark something in him and we’ll run it back.”

It sparked something all right. After the fight, in an interview with ESPN’s Mark Kriegel, Albright said Keyshawn and Keon Davis roughed him up in the dressing room after their brother’s loss. Albright was sporting a nasty knot on his forehead. It wasn’t present before he left the ring.

“They started walking up to me all tough, putting his head against mine, and I was about to swing, but my team grabbed Keyshawn. It was crazy,” said Albright. “It adds fuel to the flame. Keyshawn, you gotta run it back with me in the ring. Not outside of the ring. Approaching me on my best night, feel me? We got to settle it.”

It didn’t end there. Norfolk Police officers had to break up another brawl between the camps, with Keyshawn Davis at the heart of the melee. Video of the episode was shown on ESPN after the fight card ended. It’s a horrible mess for all involved. Both Davis brothers need to be suspended and fined. Their stock dropped faster than Tesla after the Trump vs. Musk fight.

Watch what Nahir Albright had to say after the fight.

Top Rank Boxing put its considerable promotional machine behind the Davis brothers. There will be difficult discussions ahead. Two thousand Norfolk fans asked for ticket refunds when the main event was called off. It’s a disaster all around.

Abdullah Mason Shines In First Main Event

Abudllah Mason took care of his business against veteran Jeremia Nakathila in his first main event. Photo: MIkey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

In the midst of all this, the excellent performance by rising star Abdullah Mason was overlooked, and it’s a shame after the young man from Cleveland stepped up to appear in his first main event.

Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) put a beatdown on veteran Jeremia Nakathila of Windhoek, Namibia (26 – 5, 21 KOs), getting a stoppage after the fourth round when Nakathila was too damaged to continue. The official time is one second of round five as the determination was made between the rounds.

It wasn’t the flashiest victory, but Mason demonstrated his power, patience, and ring IQ, taking the fight to Nakathila while still respecting him as a dangerous opponent. Mason had Nakathila off balance and on the back foot through the entire fight.

After Mason hurt Nakathila at the end of the fourth round, the referee called over the ringside physician, who overhead a discussion in Nakathila’s corner as the fighter said he couldn’t continue.

Abdullah Mason said he stayed patient, respecting the veteran Namibian’s power. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

“It was a great fight. I knew that he had some power, so I took some time, a little bit, and eventually broke him down and got him out of there,” said Mason. Asked whether Nakathila hit him, Mason smiled and replied, “Not that I remember.”

“For everybody watching me, especially everybody watching me for the first time because I’m on the main card on ESPN, I hope that you gained a new favorite fighter,” said Mason. Was that a sly dig at Keyshawn Davis? During fight week, Davis called out Mason and traded barbs with him. “Anything can happen in the sport of boxing. You got to be ready for it,” said Mason.

Mason thanked the people of Norfolk who stuck around to watch him fight.

Abdullah Mason has impressive maturity in and out of the ring at just 21 years old. Photo: MIkey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Mason is pushing toward contender status and is acknowledged among the most exciting young American boxers. He’s a knockout artist, charismatic both in and out of the ring, and still just 21 years old. His maturity at such a young age serves him well, and what a contrast to the event of this week with the Davis brothers.

Undercard Results from Norfolk

Tiger Johnson faced down a tough opponent in veteran Janelson Bocachica. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Rising welterweight Tiger Johnson of Cleveland (16-0, 7 KOs), a U.S. Olympian in 2021, passed the test against his toughest opponent to date with a solid decision over Janelson Bocachica of Detroit via the Dominican Republic (17-4-1, 11 KOs). Johnson won with a deliberate if not terribly exciting performance, with scores of 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93.

Troy Isley took care of his business against Etoundi Michel William. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Middleweight Troy Isley of Alexandria, Virginia (15-0, 5 KOs) remained unbeaten, retaining his NABO championship with a decision win over Etoundi Michel William of the Ivory Coast (16-2, 12 KOs). Scorecards were 98-92, 96-94, and 96-94. Isley has expressed interest in taking on champion Carlos Adames, but the former US Olympian seems to have plateaued.

Keon Davis delivered a vicious body shot to Michael Velez Garcia, pleasing his hometown fans. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Welterweight Keon Davis of Norfolk (4-0, 3 KOs), the older brother of Keyshawn Davis, took out Michael Velez Garcia of Puerto Rico (3-1, 2 KOs) in the second round with a stabbing body shot so nasty it forced Velez to crawl across the canvas in agony on his hands and knees in an effort to recover. It was a crowd pleaser for the local fans.

Middleweight Euri Cedeño dominated Abel Mina from start to finish. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Middleweight Euri Cedeño of the Dominican Republic (12-0-1, 11 KOs) stopped Abel Mina of Ecuador (18-4-1, 9 KOs) at the end of round five. Cedeño systematically took Mina apart, winning every minute and scoring a knockdown before the stoppage.

“Scooter” Davis joined the body shot party. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Deric “Scooter” Davis of Washington, DC (7-0, 7 KOs) showed why fans are excited about this lightweight prospect. Davis took out Naheem Parker of Camden, NJ (5-3, 2 KOs) with a vicious body shot to the liver in the second round of their fight. There was no way Parker could get up.

Pro debuts don’t get much better than Patrick O’Connor’s KO win. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Cruiserweight Patrick O’Connor of Fort Washington, Maryland (1-0, 1 KO) won his professional debut with a dream knockout of Marcus Smith of Carlisle, Ohio (2-1, 2 KOs). O’Connor drilled Smith repeatedly to the body, dropping Smith early in the second round, then poured on the punching to the point the referee stepped in and stopped the bout at two minutes of the second.