Keyshawn was, until recently, part of Brian “BoMac” McIntyre’s setup, training out of the same gym as Bernie Davis. That familiarity shapes the view. From Bernie’s angle, Ortiz has already shown the flaw that keeps showing up. He can compete. He can survive. But when it is time to take something, he has hesitated.
Davis points straight to Ortiz’s 2024 loss to Teofimo Lopez as the warning sign. Ortiz boxed well enough to stay in the fight, but never fully committed to forcing a decision in his favour.
“Jamaine Ortiz, he fought a good fight against Loma,” Davis said to MillCity Boxing. “He didn’t want to press the gas with Teo. I think Keyshawn, his punches come at a higher velocity and a little more power than Teo at this point.”
That view cuts against a popular fan argument. Many felt Ortiz deserved the nod against both Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, outworking them in exchanges but paying the price for being the B side on the scorecards. Davis is not interested in moral victories. For him, those fights show a pattern, not bad luck.
Keyshawn, he argues, brings something different. Not raw knockout force, but sharper timing and a willingness to let his hands go when openings appear.
Davis acknowledges that Keyshawn is not a classic one-shot finisher, more a jab-first operator who picks moments to load up. He also notes that Keyshawn’s stoppage of Denys Berinchyk came against an ageing belt holder rather than a division leader. Intent decides fights like this.
“Keyshawn is going to be loading up those hooks on him,” Davis said. “Jamaine Ortiz fought Teo already. Keyshawn Davis is not Teo. He’s coming with those guns blazing when he lets them go.”
The fight sits underneath the main event of The Ring 6 at Madison Square Garden, and it feels like a crossroads bout disguised as a supporting act. Ortiz has proven he belongs with top names. Davis believes that is no longer enough. On January 31, he is betting that Keyshawn will do the thing Ortiz hasn’t. Take the fight away.
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