LAS VEGAS — Top Rank have parted ways with Olympic silver medallist Keyshawn Davis after granting the unbeaten American an early release from his contract with one fight remaining, head honcho Bob Arum has revealed.
Arum disclosed the move in an interview with Joe Profit of the O.S.O.S. podcast, and was flippant about the decision, making clear he had little interest in pursuing a legal battle to keep Davis tied to the promotion. Davis (15-0, 10 KO) had missed weight badly ahead of a planned lightweight title defence against Edwin De Los Santos last year, was involved in a backstage altercation with Nahir Albright after Albright beat his brother, and recently turned down more than $2 million to challenge Devin Haney for the WBO welterweight belt.
Davis had subsequently set his sights on a showdown with Richardson Hitchins, but that bout has now fallen apart after Davis demanded $6 million, according to Hitchins. The figure would have been more than twice the size of Davis’s largest purse to date and three times the offer previously tabled for the Haney opportunity at 147lb, a division in which he is yet to fight despite being slotted in as a mandatory challenger.
Now a free agent, Davis leaves Top Rank ahead of schedule with his next move unclear. The split comes after Top Rank had positioned him for a major welterweight opportunity and follows DAZN's multi-fight deal with Devin Haney, leaving the former lightweight title holder to navigate the market on his own terms.