NORFOLK, Virginia – This wasn’t what
Nahir Albright had in mind when he said he wanted to fight
Keyshawn Davis again.
Now that they’ve literally butted heads,
Albright acknowledged after their altercation in his locker room late Saturday night that he and his handlers will decide whether to take legal action against the former WBO lightweight champion.
“I have to like talk to my team,” Albright told a group of reporters, “and we’ll see what we’re gonna do about that.”
Albright beat Keyshawn Davis’ older brother, Kelvin Davis, by majority decision Saturday night at Scope Arena in the hometown of the Davis brothers. Kelvin Davis’ first professional loss worsened what was already a troubling two-day stretch for “DB3,” the promotional acronym for Keyshawn, Kelvin and Keon Davis.
Keyshawn Davis was scheduled to make his first defense of his WBO 135-pound championship against Edwin De Los Santos in the 12-round main event Saturday night.
The 2021 Olympic silver medalist came in 4.3 pounds overweight Friday afternoon, though, which led Sampson Lewkowicz, De Los Santos’ promoter, to pull him out of their fight Friday night because he was concerned for De Los Santos’ safety.
Albright boxed for the first time since Keyshawn Davis beat him by majority decision 19 months ago, but they didn’t exchange words until Keyshawn Davis crashed Albright’s post-fight celebration.
“I was in my locker room, celebrating my victory with my team, and yeah, Keyshawn and his little brother [Keon] came in,” Albright said. “And they started looking at me. They was saying something about his older brother, like they was mad. And he like grabbed me, pushed me back. And I’m like grabbing his hand and he like moved his head towards my head. So, I got like a little [bump]. He like head-butted me. So, yeah, that’s what happened.”
Albright confirmed that there weren’t any punches thrown during their skirmish.
He suffered a bump on the right side of his forehead from the head-butt, but no other injuries. The cut above Albright’s right eye, which required several stitches, was sustained during his fight with Kelvin Davis.
Kelvin Davis wasn’t involved in the post-fight dispute in Albright’s locker room.
“They locker room is right next door to mine,” Albright explained, “so I guess [Keyshawn and Keon Davis] heard like us like happy and all that kinda stuff. And they came in and they started trouble. … I mean, they’re upset that they brother lost. Poor sportsmanship.”
Another incident erupted in the hallway outside of Albright’s locker room once Keyshawn Davis and Keon Davis were removed from it.
“That was my older brother,” Albright said. “He was trying to talk to them like, ‘That was unprofessional,’ and things like that. And yeah, it just got crazy.”
Video of the confrontation in the hallway circulated on various social media platforms Saturday night. Keyshawn Davis can be seen arguing with Albright’s brother, Terrance Brown, and later picking up his young son out of his stroller.
Norfolk Police officers ushered everyone involved toward the exits before that situation escalated.
Albright added that Brian 'Bo Mac' McIntyre, the trainer of Keyshawn Davis and Kelvin Davis, later came to his locker room, along with Terence Crawford, to check on him. McIntyre also trains Crawford, a four-division champion who will challenge Canelo Alvarez for his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles September 13.
“Bo Mac and Terence Crawford came in,” Albright said, “and was like, ‘Sorry for the inconvenience.’ It meant a lot. I got a picture of us.”
The 29-year-old Albright doesn’t want a picture with Keyshawn Davis – he wants a rematch.
“That’s definitely an option,” Albright said. “I definitely wanna get it poppin’ in the ring.”
Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC) beat Albright (17-2, 7 KOs, 1 NC) on two scorecards in October 2023 at Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas.
Judges Robert Hoyle (96-94) and David Sutherland (97-93) credited Keyshawn Davis for winning that competitive contest. Keyshawn Davis settled for a majority decision that night because judge John Basile scored their fight a draw, 95-95.
The Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation changed the official result to a no-contest because Davis tested positive for marijuana, a banned substance for boxers who compete in Texas.
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.