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Davis said he’s looking forward to the fight and doesn’t see anything stopping him except his desire.

“Tell Devin Haney to stop playing. Stop being scary. Fight me,” Davis told the media. “For example, I want to fight you. What do we do?”

Keyshawn calls out Haney, yet Keyshawn decides to stay at 140 pounds for his rematch with Nahir Albright on May 16 in Norfolk. Fighting Albright again won’t move the needle much for a guy with Keyshawn’s aspirations.

While the official reason for the rematch is to “tend unfinished business” since their 2023 fight was declared a nocontest, it seems like a huge step back after he already defeated Jamaine Ortiz at 140 pounds earlier this year.

If Keyshawn really wants Haney, logic dictates that he should campaign at 147 pounds and pursue the likes of Shakhram Giyasov and the top contenders in the division to build a resume that will force a title shot.

Many fans see Keyshawn as someone who feels entitled to something. In boxing, you usually get a chance to fight a three-weight champion like Haney, becoming the mandatory challenger, clearing the division, or putting a gigantic money fight on the table.

Keyshawn is currently doing neither. By fighting Albright, who is not among the elite, he is treading water while demanding a gigantic fight.

“You all know how it ends. He runs, I chase him, and then I end up knocking him out. Devin knows he can’t beat me,” Davis said.

“It’s up to the promoters whether they want to make this fight or not,” Davis said. “At the end of the day, all we warriors can do is call the fighters.”

Haney is focused on accumulating more equipment at 147 pounds and setting up a potential mega-rematch with Ryan Garcia, who just defeated Mario Barrios in February. Haney has no incentive to look back at a 140-pound contender who hasn’t even touched the welterweight rankings yet.

Oscar De La Hoya believes Canelo Alvarez is entering the final phase of his career and indicated that his September fight against Christian Mbilli is heading in that direction.

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It has been reported that the Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli has been signed and is scheduled to take place on Mexican Independence Day weekend in September 2026, although the exact date has not been officially confirmed.

De La Hoya said Alvarez is no longer at the same stage of his career as he was before.

“Every fighter has his peak and then you start to see a clear exit and Canelo is right there,” De La Hoya told Sean Zittel. “He’s still a few fights away from retirement don’t blame him for taking the money and running away. I don’t blame him. I mean, clever guy.

De La Hoya’s “cash-out” narrative seems disconnected from the tactical reality of this matchup. Calling Christian Mbilla a “take the money and run” suggests that Oscar may have been interested in name recognition rather than the film.

If a player is looking for an uncomplicated way out, you don’t go for a 31-year-old power hitter like Mbilli.

Canelo is 35, recovering from surgery on his left elbow and coming off a decisive loss to Crawford where he looked stagnant in the championship rounds. Fighting a fighter like Mbilli in Riyad is a huge risk.

De La Hoya admitted that Alvarez still has significant fights left before he leaves.

“He still has some good fights ahead of him against great fighters,” Oscar said.

If Mbilli drowns Canelo or even “destroys” him, De La Hoya’s schedule for the remaining “good fights” will immediately evaporate. The perception that he has a few left suggests he can still compete at an elite level, but the 168-pound division has shifted toward younger, more impressive fighters.

Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most critical fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.

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Last update: 2026/05/01 at 17:31

Oscar De La Hoya’s ongoing criticism of boxing’s regulatory direction has gained renewed focus after Mark Kriegel’s comments about Zuffa Boxing were amplified by the organization itself, sparking a transparency dispute that is now on the verge of legal escalation.

At the center of this discussion is Gustavo Olivieri, lawyer and president of the World Boxing Organization, who responded directly to the Kriegel-Zuffa discussion and the allegations regarding sanctioning bodies and transparency standards.

Olivieri said any allegations of wrongdoing must be supported by evidence and dealt with through formal legal channels, warning that unverified claims cannot be treated as fact in the public arena of boxing.

He added that if evidence exists, it should be provided through appropriate investigative channels, including law enforcement channels such as the FBI, strengthening the process – not public discussion – of deciding what matters.

Strengthening the fight intensifies the disputes

The situation changed after Zuffa Boxing shared Kriegel’s comments in their “Transparency is Our Goal” message, taking the discussion straight to their own promotional narrative.

Kriegel’s remarks, made on the Boxing with Mannix and Mora podcast, focused on fighter disputes, legal history and transparency issues in the current boxing landscape.

He addressed Oscar De La Hoya’s involvement in high-profile fighter situations involving Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia and Vergil Ortiz, part of an ongoing challenge to disclosure standards across the sport.

This amplification pushed the argument beyond commentary, bringing promotional, legal and regulatory voices into the same developing situation.

The pressure is mounting ahead of the fight weekend

In the hours before an significant weekend, everything intensified in boxing.

There will be multiple title fights and there is expected to be movement in the overall picture pound for pound.

Attention is now turning to the structure proposed by Zuffa Boxing, which is at the center of disputes over player contracts, control and remuneration in a centralized system.

Wider implications for boxing

At its heart is Ali’s bill – and whether the proposed changes could reshape boxing at the highest level, particularly in terms of fighter autonomy, promotional control and earning opportunities.

Supporters say reform can ensure financial coherence and stability. Critics, including De La Hoya’s recent comments, warn it could concentrate control, reduce flexibility and change the way athletes move through the sport.

What began as a debate over transparency has now turned into something bigger – a structural conflict over how boxing is run, who controls it and where it goes next.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.