The Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Teofimo/Haney, Keyshawn Davis, Kelvin Davis/Nahir Albright, and Claressa Shields/Angel Reese

A Look Back at the Past Week in the Fight Game!

(Rocco E. / Charlotte, NC): I was very disappointed in the situation with Keyshawn Davis and how the weekend turned out. What are your thoughts on his career and where does he go from here?

(Vivek W. / The VIP Crew): Disappointed? That's an understatement. The words most fans around the world are using are a lot stronger and actually characterize my sentiments far better. The steps we take in life may be behind us, but each one leads us to a different destination. In the case of Keyshawn, lets just say his 'steps' from the past have landed him in a space that doesn't make him look good, and he doesn't seem interested in distancing himself from that path. This is the same guy who responded by saying with a smile on his face, "it is what it is" after failing a drug test (marijuana) just two years ago.

He went on a full verbal campaign telling the world that was the "old" version of himself. Fast forward a little and here we are on the heels of yet another debacle, and again, he has no answers for the present, with no regrets from the past. It's one thing to miss weight by a pound or two, but four pounds? And to have the gall to stand ringside smiling from ear to ear stuffing down a box of popcorn when everyone in the building came to see him perform? I have to strongly question every single member of his camp, as there's no way he truly trained and failed to miss the mark by that much.

The cynical side of me thinks the massive coverage from ESPN with Michael Vick, Allen Iverson, and all the other celebrities may have proven too much for a fighter who (candidly) hasn't really proven anything in the sport. We can all agree that he has the talent to be formidable, but I'm truly questioning whether or not Davis is seeking legendary status, or if he's content being a social media bling-king? This era is filled with fighters who seem to tap out after they make more money than they dreamed of making and gain a bit of notoriety.

They all want to be Floyd (Mayweather), but few seem to understand what made Floyd, Floyd. As a fan, I can only hope that Keyshawn gets down to business, because he has far too much to offer the sport to continue making these senseless errors. Truthfully, I'm glad he failed to make the weight. If his training was that far off the mark, there's a strong chance he loses that fight, as Santos was ready to play ball and risk it all. Davis had a lot to say about Abdullah Mason leading up to the fight. Right now, he'd better focus on "Keyshawn Davis", as that guy isn't ready for the version of Mason we just watched. Mentally, or perhaps physically, either. Stay tuned.

(Aaron P. / Los Angeles, CA): I'm a fan of the Davis brothers but didn't like the way the night ended for them. How did you rate the performance of Kelvin Davis and what do you think about Nahir Albright?

(Vivek W. / The VIP Crew): Kelvin Davis ended up winning a fan and losing the fan in the same night! During the fight, I found myself extremely impressed with his display of heart! Just a few weeks ago, we watched a few of the biggest names in the sport shutdown Times Square and put up a total dud as Haney and Garcia got top dollar to fight scared and unprepared. In contrast, Kelvin took some hellacious shots and kept coming to dish his own punishment. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't need much more than that out of a young rising star.

Unfortunately for Kelvin, the man that stood across from him had the same heart, and a bit more experience, which proved to be the deciding factor in the end. Nahir Albright really showed us the heart of a Champion, and I think you have to tip your hat to him for the perfomance he gave. To be out of the ring for 20-months and step into enemy territory and put on that performance is definitely something to rave about. Personally, I think both fighters earned the respect of the viewers in the end.

Too bad Kelvin decided to kill that energy by joining his brothers in poor sportsmanship after the loss, jumping Albright backstage and landing in the middle of a lawsuit. We'll see where that saga goes, but as far as their efforts in the ring, I think both men looked very good and I'll be watching to see where they go from here. On a personal note, I just hope Kelvin doesn't go down the same weird-energy path Keyshawn has. It's not good for longterm success at all!

(Jason H. / Houston, TX): Abdullah Mason is one of my favorite fighters on the rise. What do you see as his ceiling in the sport?

(Vivek W. / The VIP Crew): I think the sky is the limit for this kid! He's incredibly polished and just a very pure talent. In his previous fight we saw him get chin-checked and it never changed his gameplan. He put his foot on the gas and proceeded to kick a**! From his punch selection, to his stance (leg base), to his ability to understand how to play chess and think tactically, this kid can do it all!

It's still very early but he's doing everything you want to see from a young gun. What I like most of all...he doesn't have to label himself "businessman". He just goes out there and handles his business! Well spoken, sharp, and focused. Add a good chin and a strong work ethic to that combination and you have a talent that will be around for a long time (God willing). I'll be watching closely, as he's also one of my favorites to watch at this stage.

(Karyn I. / Coconut Creek, FL): What were your thoughts on the recent BET AWARDS situation between Claressa Shields and Angel Reese?

(Vivek W. / The VIP Crew): I have my personal opinion which I'll share but I think we have to find out from BET what metric they were measuring. In Angel Reese, you have a talent connected to one of America's biggest sports and that sport (basketball) is being pushed in a MAJOR WAY right now. As the WNBA grows and evolves, we can't help but realize that Angel Reese is the arch-nemesis to the sports biggest rising star and arguably one of the most skilled players ever, in Caitlyn Clarke.

That said, Reese is enjoying global commercial success with all types of endorsements, to include a menu package at McDonald's named after her. That's a massive media machine to overcome, but if we're looking at accolades and actual accomplishments, who - in this era of active women in sports - can we really place above Claressa? Multi-division Champion, Multi-Olympic Gold Medalist, Multi-sport performer (Boxing and MMA). The "GWOAT" nickname rubbed quite a few wrong...to include myself at one point.

But when you look at her dedication and commitment to greatness, combined with a heart of a lion and results to match, it's just very hard for me to see anyone placed above her today. Personally, I don't know what metric BET used, but I do know this stuff is almost always political, and that being said, Reese just has too much money behind her in endorsements and promotions to see her land in the #2 spot to anyone not named Caitlyn Clarke. Sad but true, and as a fan of hers (Reese), I can both understand and make sense of this decision. Claressa's day will come, but unfortunately, this wasn't it.

(Marc B. / Orlando, FL): I'm real disappointed that the Teofimo Lopez vs Devin Haney fight is off. Any chance that fight happens this year?

(Vivek W. / The VIP Crew): I was very shocked to see Lopez pull out, as I actually think he has a very strong chance to win that fight. Lopez expressed concern about losing the fight if it goes to the cards, under some impression that the powers-that-be prefer to see Haney win over him. Judging by some of the things you see in the media he may be on to something, but I think this is a situation where a fighter with a fragile mental state is stuck in a classic case of paralysis by analysis. Judging by the last performance by each fighter, I have to give the edge to Lopez.

The fact that he doesn't feel that way makes me wonder if his mental frame isn't starting to bend a little (again). One other caveat is that he is rumored to have recently signed with PBC. This could mean he has what he feels to be a better negotiating team; or it could simply mean he pivoted from a potential Haney snoozefest to try to line up a shot at Tank. To take that a step further, it could also mean he will take the Haney fight and have a direct path to the Tank fight next. There are a lot of hypotheticals on the table. Truth is, none of us know, but time will tell. Stay tuned.

(Vivek "Vito" Wallace can be reached at therealvipcrew@gmail.com or 954.770.9807)