Greg Hackett: "Keyshawn Will Stop Berinchik in the 8th Round"

American trainer Greg Hackett weighed in on the potential showdown between Ukrainian WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs) and American prospect Keyshawn Davis (12-0, 8 KOs).

Hackett is convinced Davis will hand Berinchyk the first loss of his career—and even predicts a stoppage:

"Keyshawn showed a hell of a fight against Gustavo Lemos. He’s got a tough opponent ahead. Berinchyk is no easy rival, but he’s past his peak. Yes, he can still fight, but his best days are behind him.

I believe Keyshawn will go on the attack and stop him in the eighth round. He’ll wear Berinchyk down. He’s got a good jab, a strong right hand. But in this fight, Keyshawn needs to control the pace and not rush. He shouldn’t go in looking for a quick knockout. I’m not saying he was deliberately looking for a KO against Lemos—that happened because Lemos forced him to stay busy.

In the fight with Berinchyk, things will be different. He’ll be more strategic, more cautious. So Keyshawn needs to take his time, break his opponent down gradually. Focus on body work, use the uppercut and hooks. And by the eighth round, he’ll slow Berinchyk down and stop him.

Will this fight make Keyshawn a household name? No, it won’t. We’ll talk about it, but it won’t be huge news. To become a real star, he needs opponents like Teofimo Lopez or Richardson Hitchins. Those kinds of fights will bring him widespread recognition," Hackett said.

There has been no official announcement regarding a Berinchyk vs. Davis fight.

In May, Berinchyk defeated Emanuel Navarrete by split decision to claim the vacant WBO lightweight title. In November, Keyshawn dominated Gustavo Lemos, knocking him out in the second round.