Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis betting tips: Unbeaten records on the line plus Catterall vs Barboza tips

Berinchyk vs Davis full fight card

• Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis - WBO lightweight title
• Xander Zayas vs Slawa Spomer - Light middleweight
• Vito Mielnicki Jr vs Connor Coyle - Middleweight
• Abdullah Mason vs Manuel Jaimes - Lightweight
• Jared Anderson vs Marios Kollias - Heavyweight
• Rohan Polanco vs Jean Carlos Torres - Welterweight
• Delante Johnson vs Quashawn Toler - Welterweight
• Juan Manuel Lopez Jr vs Bryan Santiago - Super flyweight
• Nico Ali Walsh vs Juan Carlos Guerra - Middleweight
• Keon Davis vs Ira Johnson - Welterweight

Tale of the tape: Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis

Denys Berinchyk: Can the defending champ hold onto his new title?

Unbeaten Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk boasts a flawless record and a career-best win over Emanuel Navarrete in his last fight. 

As an amateur, the Kyiv combatant won silver medals both at the London 2012 Olympics and the 2011 World Championships. He was part of the Ukraine national team with Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko for 10 years.

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He became the WBO world lightweight champion by defeating three-weight world title holder Navarrete via split decision in May 2024, thwarting the Mexican’s dream of conquering a fourth weight division.

Berinchyk was mostly on the front foot and didn’t give up much ground, switching stance and displaying masterful footwork and movement. He was able to slip inside of Navarrete’s long levers to land his shots on the inside. 

The skillful southpaw would smartly step back out of range to evade shots then neatly step back in with his clever counters in one single fluid movement.

The pair threw over 1300 punches between them in a high-octane fight that saw Berinchyk crowned world champion with judges scores of 116-112 and 115-113. 

His forthcoming fight this February with Davis will be the first defence of his shiny new belt, which has been held in the past by the likes of Terence Crawford, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya and his former teammate Lomachenko.

Keyshawn Davis: Can ‘The Businessman’ handle the job?

Remarkably, Keyshawn Davis is also an Olympic and World Championships silver medallist, exactly like Berinchyk, except the 25-year-old’s achievements occurred eight years later.

The boxing brother is joined by older sibling Kelvin and younger brother Keon in the paid ranks, as they attempt to bring big-time boxing back to Norfolk, Virginia, in honour of their boxing idol, Pernell ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker.

More relevantly, he has worked his way into the WBO #1 pole position to officially earn his shot as the mandatory challenger. 

He’s already called out WBA lightweight champion and namesake Gervonta Davis, which would open the door to one of the super fights that drive the conversation and biggest betting volume which we’ve discussed in unlocking boxing betting. 

Davis is also ranked WBC #2, IBF #3 and IBO #2, so when you’re within that vicinity, why wouldn’t you take the shot with both hands? Plus, the ornamented amateur has 93 bouts in a vest to draw experience from, winning 80 of those to collect multiple national titles.

In his last bout, Davis obliterated Gustavo Lemos, who weighed in over 6lbs above the agreed limit. 

Davis’ devastating performance that night was simply punch-perfect, dropping the man who went the full 12 rounds with the new IBF lightweight champion Richardson Hitchins three times to win one minute into round two.

His footwork, speed, head movement, power, jab, counter-punching, combinations, timing, reflexes, balance and judgement of range are all highly impressive. And he knows how to finish a fight!

He did the same against former two-weight world champion, Jose Pedraza. He used the decorated Puerto Rican puncher as target practice and battered him into submission in six.

Last year, Davis defeated three top fighters with a combined record of 89-8.

After just 12 professional bouts, this world title shot could easily be perceived as premature. 

But he has only ever fought opponents with winning records and has scalped the likes of Juan Carlos Burgos, Anthony Yigit, Francesco Patera, Jose Pedraza, Miguel Madueno, before destroying the aforementioned Lemos.

Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis: The key factors 

Berinchyk clearly has the advantage in experience and, despite the challenger’s WBO #1 ranking, some believe this step up to the world title plate is too soon for the Norfolk novice. 

That said, there’s only seven pro bouts separating them, and they both share an extensive, illustrious amateur background.

Berinchyk is a fluid, cerebral fighter and his best chance to win will likely be on points by outworking, and outclassing the challenger. 

The southpaw is awkward and likes to fight at mid-range where he can slip shots and counter-punch back. His nifty footwork allows him to dip in and out of range effortlessly. 

The champion isn’t a powerful puncher, he hasn’t scored a knockout in four years, so he will have to impose his game plan over the full 12 rounds. His last KO came just three weeks after Davis’ professional debut in March 2021.

Eleven years his junior, Davis is enjoying a meteoric ascendency in the pro ranks, taking less than four years to land this maiden world title shot. He has more than earned his right to be in this position and will represent a significant threat to the titleholder.

His snappy shots, sharpness and strength could be key factors in this fight, if he can repeat what he’s done already in his career. 

However, Berinchyk will be the best opponent he’s ever faced as a paid puncher, so it awaits to see how he fares at the highest level. There could be a few rounds of adjustment required to get to grips with the tricky champion, who doesn’t have the easiest style to get to grips with.

Davis has confidently promised another ‘crazy knockout’, in his own words, believing he will mimic the devastation he caused in his last appearance, even suggesting it will occur in the opener.

He has never scored a first-round knockout in his pro career, but he can boast a trio of second-round stoppages, and seven of his KOs came in six rounds or less. That power could play a big part in this fight.

FIRST’s’ top tip for Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis 

Despite being the reigning champion with an incredible skillset, Berinchyk is a 5/1 underdog with Betway against the powerful challenger, Davis, who is favoured 1/7 with the same operator. 

Confident Davis is razor-sharp right now, so a knockout victory at 7/4 with Betway could be worth a punt.

Extra tips 

Betway also chalks up 66/1 for Davis to catch Berinchyk in the very first round and finish the fight off early. 

Although it sounds unrealistic, coupled with the fact that KD has never scored a first-round KO in his pro career, this is boxing and one punch can change it all. 

Plus, Davis has even suggested this outcome himself when asked about placing a bet; “Possibly in the first round.” If he actually delivers on this, Keyshawn Davis will become an overnight sensation!

Jack Catterall vs Arnold Barboza Jr betting tips: Who wins this crucial WBO Interim world title clash?

There’s even more WBO world title action approximately 16 hours later and 3,300 miles east of New York in Manchester, England, as Jack Catterall (30-1, 13KO) clashes with unbeaten American, Arnold Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11KO), for the WBO Interim super-lightweight strap.

Barboza is WBO #1 and Catterall is #2, so these are two ambitious boxers who are both ready to put it all on the line. 

Barboza, 33 from Los Angeles, is a sharp jabber, a good straight-shooter, compact and disciplined with neat feet, able to box on the front and back foot. 

Chorley’s Catterall, 31, is awkward, strong, clever and powerful and has the home advantage here. He has also beaten the better opposition and his sole defeat to Josh Taylor was highly contentious. 

His southpaw jab that flies upwards from his hip is authoritative and tricky, and his backhand left is potent with its timing and accuracy.

FIRST’s top tip for Jack Catterall vs Arnold Barboza Jr 

Catterall is the bookies favourite and every punch he lands will be celebrated by the biased crowd. Which should rack up many of the rounds in his favour to, likely, win on points.

Jack Catterall to win on points - 8/11 Betway

Odds correct at the time of writing.