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NORFOLK, Va. — Keyshawn Davis made sure there would be no controversy this time. The former WBO lightweight champion delivered a sharp, disciplined performance Saturday night, defeating Nahir Albright by unanimous decision in their 12-round junior welterweight rematch at Scope Arena in Davis’ hometown of Norfolk, Virginia.

Judges scored the DAZN main event 118-108, 118-108 and 117-109 in favor of Davis, who improved to 15-0 with 10 knockouts and one no-contest.

The victory represented more than just revenge for Davis. It capped a difficult chapter that included being stripped of his WBO lightweight title after missing weight by 4.3 pounds ahead of a canceled title defense against Edwin De Los Santos earlier this year.

Davis admitted afterward that part of the problem during his first fight with Albright stemmed from poor preparation habits. “That was just an off night,” Davis said afterward. “I stopped smoking marijuana while training, and I showed the difference tonight.”

The performance backed it up. Davis looked faster, more focused and far more explosive than he did in their controversial first meeting in 2023, which was later overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for marijuana in Texas.

Albright Tough, But Outclassed

To his credit, Nahir Albright remained durable throughout the fight. Despite absorbing heavy combinations late, Albright still has never been stopped in 21 professional bouts.

But he struggled to consistently match Davis’ speed, timing and punch variety. Davis repeatedly landed clean power shots throughout the middle and late rounds, especially in the ninth through 11th rounds, where he appeared to be hunting for a stoppage similar to his knockout win over Jamaine Ortiz earlier this year at Madison Square Garden. “I tried to go for the knockout,” Davis told DAZN. “But I got the decision. That’s all that matters.”

Fight Turns Heated in Round 7

The bout took an ugly turn during the seventh round.

Frustrated by what he believed were excessive clinches and neck grabs from Albright, Davis body-slammed his opponent to the canvas with 1:45 remaining in the round.

Referee Vic Drakulich deducted two points for the foul. “He likes to punch and hold,” Davis explained afterward. “I got angry sometimes, so I flipped him over.”

Even with the point deduction, Davis still won comfortably on all three scorecards.

Norfolk Crowd Gets the Version of Davis They Expected

This was the version of Keyshawn Davis that Top Rank and boxing fans envisioned when he emerged as one of America’s brightest Olympic stars after winning silver at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

He controlled distance, dictated pace and imposed physicality against a rugged opponent who previously fought Frank Martin to a draw.

The crowd inside Scope Arena embraced every moment, especially as Davis turned up the pressure late.

Bigger Fights Ahead?

Now competing full-time at 140 pounds, Davis appears ready for major names in the division.

He has repeatedly mentioned interest in fights against Devin Haney and other elite contenders, and Saturday’s performance only strengthened his case for bigger opportunities. For now, though, Davis finally closed the book on Albright. This time, there was no debate about who won.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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