Top Rank has distanced itself from a racist act directed at one of its rising stars, while one of its champions has leaned into the act.
Keyshawn Davis was understandably irate and disgusted regarding a box delivered to his room filled with bananas and a watermelon. The Ring’s No. 7 lightweight directed his accusation towards WBO titlist Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs), whom Davis challenges this Friday at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City.
Ukraine’s Berincyhk, The Ring’s No. 6 lightweight, and his team vehemently denied the act, while Top Rank—Davis’ promoter—condemned it.
“Top Rank is appalled and disgusted by the actions of individual(s) that delivered the package to Keyshawn Davis,” the company said in a released statement. “These actions are contrary to the foundation of Top Rank.
“There is no place for this in sports or society. Keyshawn has our full support.”
Sadly, the view is not shared by all of its fighters.
Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) used the opportunity to take trolling to a disgusting level.
RING/WBO junior welterweight champion posted a video of himself watching the pre-fight press conference while eating a banana. Lopez began laughing uncontrollably in suggesting he duped Davis into believing that the package came from his opponent.
“Make boxing great again,” Lopez stated through his social media accounts, while tagging Top Rank and the WBO on his posts.
Top Rank promotes Lopez and Davis, though its relationship with the reigning 140-pound king is contentious.
Brooklyn’s Lopez—a two-division RING champion—stopped well short of taking responsibility for the gross act. Still, his actions were not at all well received, particularly during Black History Month.
Lopez and Davis have a longstanding beef, though their paths don’t appear to cross anytime soon—at least in the ring. Davis—a 2020 Olympic Silver medalist for the U.S.—enters his first major title fight this weekend at lightweight.
Meanwhile, Lopez is due to defend his RING and WBO 140-pound championship on a Ring Magazine-promoted card either in June or July. The famed Alcatraz, just offshore from San Francisco, was suggested as a potential hosting venue.
An opponent is not set, though Lopez remains in negotiations with IBF titlist Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs), The Ring’s No. 4 junior welterweight contender.
Jake Donovan is part of the U.S. team for The Ring. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.