In short
The Hall of Game previews the Ring 6 co-main at MSG on Jan 31 (DAZN): 2021 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis (moving up to 140) vs Jermaine Ortiz, plus discussion of Davis’s recent weight issues and off-ring problems.
Guests and backgrounds
Keyshawn Davis is a former WBO lightweight world champion and 13-0 prospect who missed weight in June 2024 (4 pounds overweight) and hasn’t fought since Feb 2025. Jermaine Ortiz is a 22-1 contender known for fighting top-level opponents (including Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez) and being “strike two” in world-title opportunities.
Key claims
Davis says he’s on a “whole new team/system,” stopped drinking daily during camp, and took accountability by apologizing to people since June. Ortiz says Davis “didn’t pick” him; it was likely him or no card, and he expects to stop Davis.
Notable examples
Davis describes drinking every day in camp to cope mentally and make weight; Ortiz cites Mayweather-style thinking on weight cuts and claims he’s faster, stronger, and bigger at 140.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOPreviewing Keyshawn Davis vs. Jermaine Ortiz
3:00 to 4:04
Discussion on the upcoming fight between Keyshawn Davis and Jermaine Ortiz.
“we've been talking about this card the ring six card January 31st in the boxing mecca MSG Madison Madison Square Garden in New York City with the main event being Shakur Stevenson, Tiafema, and Lopez.”
Keyshawn Davis' Challenges
4:04 to 4:50
Exploring the personal and professional challenges faced by Keyshawn Davis.
“We're going to find out what Keyshawn really made of.”
Significance of the Fight
4:50 to 7:40
Discussing the implications of the fight for both Keyshawn Davis and Jermaine Ortiz.
“So when guys have issues outside the ring and what we know them from is inside the ring, we see a manifestation of the issues they're having in their other part of life unfold in the boxing ring.”
Pressure on Fighters
7:40 to 12:41
Examining the pressure faced by both fighters leading into the match.
“He took more than he gave, but he dished out a lot too.”
Keyshawn's Training Camp Experience
18:04 to 19:15
Hear about Keyshawn's positive vibes and new training regimen.
“It's been your last fight where you actually in the ring was back in February, 2025.”
Transitioning to a New Team
19:15 to 21:08
Keyshawn discusses moving to a new team and their significance.
“Who is the new team and what is the new system?”
Reflecting on Past Mistakes
21:08 to 23:08
Keyshawn shares reflections on accountability and personal growth.
“So I literally just went back in Norfolk and just got the people that I started with.”
Coping with Pressure and Drinking
23:08 to 24:15
Keyshawn opens up about his struggles with drinking during training.
“Like, if I just get to the fight, that'd be good.”
Preparing for Jermaine Ortiz Fight
24:15 to 26:04
Keyshawn discusses his confidence and preparation for his upcoming opponent.
“I feel like because that was the only reason why I couldn't really lose those extra three pounds because I was just drinking.”
Faith and Mental Resilience
26:04 to 28:00
Keyshawn explains how his faith in God helps him deal with challenges.
“Somebody told me that their body was bothering them so much.”
Show all 16 chapters
Keyshawn Davis Prepares for January 31st Fight
28:00 to 30:10
Keyshawn discusses his mindset and excitement leading up to his next fight.
“If I'm in Ortiz's camp, you accounting for the fact that Keyshawn has been off, you're accounting for the fact that Keyshawn is in a new weight class.”
Introduction of Jermaine Ortiz
30:10 to 30:40
Jermaine Ortiz is introduced as a top contender set to fight Keyshawn Davis.
“I'm just the amazing Keyshawn Davis, man.”
The Messy Build-Up to the Fight
30:40 to 32:55
Jermaine explains the complicated circumstances leading to his fight with Keyshawn.
“One of the top contenders in the game, a fighter who has fought top flight competition, world champions throughout the course of his career.”
Jermaine Ortiz's Strategy and Fight Analysis
32:55 to 38:26
Ortiz shares insights on his approach to fighting Davis and the significance of their matchup.
“Don't ever let them catch you like that again, all right?”
Living the Dubai Lifestyle
38:26 to 42:03
Jermaine discusses his experiences and reasons for living part-time in Dubai.
“You know, that's maybe as you're coming up, but once you face top-level competition, none of that stuff matters.”
Jermaine Ortiz on Keyshawn Davis' Misconceptions
42:03 to 44:12
Jermaine Ortiz shares his perspective on Keyshawn Davis' views and his own upcoming fight.
“So that's why the crime is so low, Andre, because cameras are everywhere.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. You've been working in the garage with your dad every week, Monday to Sunday, trying to get the old school up and running. Today, after all the hard work, y 'all finally finished it. Even better, your dad says, all yours, son. Yep, same car that belongs to your grandpa that your dad helped him fix. It's yours. To really keep the tradition going, you need to get state farm insurance just like them. Generation to generation, remember to choose the agents that your family counted on. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Pressure has a way of revealing what remains steady.
0:40In the latest Nissan campaign, the Nissan Rogue was tested to the extreme to demonstrate that it's built to last. Through durability and reliability challenges inspired by real tests conducted by Nissan engineers. Brutal potholes, a steady force of water, even a jet-powered sandstorm. Each challenge inviting a deeper look at how quality, durability, and reliability hold their ground in real-world conditions. Every test was 100 % real. No CG, no AI. To see how the Rogue held up, visit Nissan-Durability.com. Okay, so quick behind-the-scenes moment about my business. Because people always ask me, how am I actually able to run everything?
1:21We got Brown Girl Grinding on social media for the stories, but BrownGirlGrinding.com is Shopify in the merch. Shopify is literally the platform where I turn this tiny idea into a real business. And right now, my storefront, BrownGirlGrinding.com and the Black Effect storefront are booked and busy. And Shopify is handling all of the heavy lifting, y 'all. I'm so excited about the fact that Shopify is going to show up at the Black Effect Podcast Festival this year in a really big way. Go to Shopify.com slash B-E-N. If I can do it, trust me, y 'all can do it too. This is Angela Yee from Angela Yee's Lip Service.
1:57One in four people in the U.S. has been to a Planned Parenthood health center for life-saving, life-changing care. We're talking about birth control, annual exams, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and more. High-quality, expert, judgment-free care. And despite lawmakers' efforts to shut them down, they're not going anywhere. Care continues at Planned Parenthood so that you can get the unbiased, high-quality health care that you need. To learn more, visit I'm4PP.org. What up? This is your boy, Roy Jones Jr. I'm hanging out with my man, Andre Ward. We two Hall of Famers will bring y 'all a show called The Hall of Game.
2:36A show where we discuss boxing, sports, life, and entertainment from our view. How much better than that can you get? me and Roy don't always agree but one thing you will get is a hall of fame worth the game and welcome back to another episode of the hall of game I got my co-host with me Roy Jones Jr. Roy what's going on with you hey I'm chilling bro how you feeling man I'm good man I mean I'm we've been talking about this card the ring six card January 31st in the boxing mecca MSG Madison Madison Square Garden in New York City with the main event being Shakur Stevenson, Tiafema, and Lopez. We know what that's going to do.
3:18That's going to be a great fight. But this co-main event is a fight that I'm leaning into. It's a lot of storylines around it. It's two fighters that I have a lot of respect for. They are different fighters. They got to this matchup different ways. But this is a bit of a crossroads for both of these fighters for different reasons. And I'm talking about Keyshawn Davis, who was 13 and 0, and the contender, Jermaine Ortiz, who's 22 and 1. Only two losses he had was against top flight competition. Vasily Lomachenko and the guy who's in our main event, Tiafema Lopez. Roy, when you look at this matchup, Keyshawn being out, Jermaine being, I don't want to call him a journeyman, but he's a contender in the 140-pound division.
4:00What are your first thoughts about this matchup? BTA, Bill Tech. You heard me? We're going to find out what Keyshawn really made of. He got to put Beltiz. You know what I'm saying? If he really is the truth, he got to show us right now. If he don't show us right now, then, of course, Ortiz is going to show us something different. So, Ortiz is that guy, like you said, he gets right up to the next level, and he just can't seem to get over the hump. Well, if you're going to plan on getting over the hump, you got to get past a guy like this. So, you got to put BTA. You feel me? If you don't, then you're not what we think you are.
4:32But I think he is what we think he is. I just think that he's been going through some, a few different things outside of the ring, which I think have been affecting him more so than inside the ring. And just because we know him inside of the ring, we get to see these things manifest inside the ring more so than we do outside of the ring because we don't know his outside of the ring lifestyle. You feel me? So when guys have issues outside the ring and what we know them from is inside the ring, we see a manifestation of the issues they're having in their other part of life unfold in the boxing ring.
5:06Hopefully he's gotten that part of his life taken care of because this guy he's fighting now ain't the guy he want to come in not ready for. This guy's got right at the door twice, knocked on that door twice. He just didn't get in. He's really, really trying to get in this time. You feel me? Here's another opportunity for him. So we'll see what happens. Keishon's last fight that he actually fought was in February of 2025, but he was supposed to defend that WBL world title in June of last year. He comes in a homecoming. The table was set. The stage was set for him to really show up and show out again at home.
5:42He came in four pounds overweight and a brawl ensued in the back corridors of the arena. and it was all captured on ESPN. And we haven't seen Keyshawn Davis since. It's so interesting for a young fighter, just an athlete in general. One day you can be on top of the world. Everybody wanted to sign Keyshawn Davis. Everybody was high on him. He's a blue chip prospect who was fast-tracked to a world title. And one day or one night can change everything. And now there's more questions about Keyshawn Davis than we have answers. And I'm not just talking inside the ring. I'm talking outside the ring. It's very, the wind blew a different direction.
6:26And now the majority of the boxing community, Roy, they're looking at Keyshawn Davis a lot different. Yeah, they are. And it's because of, in this game, in this game, it's called professional boxing. In professional boxing, you cannot allow yourself to come to a homecoming and not make weight. And let another guy come and really take over your showcase in your own hometown. So, yes, there's going to be a lot of questions. A lot of questions about how much do you love this sport? A lot of questions about how much do you love yourself? You understand me? So, everybody's questioning, are you serious about the sport?
7:07I mean, we know you've got the talent. We've seen it. We know you've got the skills. We've seen it. But are you serious about the sport as you should be, having as much talent as you have? Do you love boxing? Are you taking professional boxing the way a professional athlete should? Those are the questions. Those are the questions that will get answered January 31st, because to your point, Jermaine Ortiz is the type of guy where if you're not right, you will be exposed. If you have cut corners, you will be exposed because we know that Ortiz is coming to fight. And even in his losses against top flight competition, he got busy.
7:43He took more than he gave, but he dished out a lot too. And there's no quit in Jermaine Ortiz. There's no turn in Jermaine Ortiz. And I think it's a dangerous test for Keyshawn Davis, but it's the perfect test. Because if Keyshawn can shine against Jermaine Ortiz, that's what he needs. That's the confidence that he needs to reinforce to himself that I am the guy. I'm still the guy. He is moving up in weight to 140 pounds for the first time. Jermaine has been at 140 for a long time. But these are the kind of matchups you want to see young guys fighting on the way up. Not every single fight, but you want to see them every now and again get into this type of situation, because if they can elevate and beat the opponent that's on the other side, that's equal or close to being an equal, that's that's that's that's elevation.
8:32That's going to take you to the next level. You don't really elevate in this game, beating guys you're supposed to beat. And, you know, just just really beating guys that have no shot against you. So I'm excited for this fight for many reasons. And it's also very interesting, too, that even though Jermaine has been around for a while, he's still somewhat of a younger guy. You know what I'm saying? He's got miles on the odometer. But they're both at an interesting crossroads in their career because Jermaine, if he loses, I've even heard Ortiz say that these opportunities don't come very often. So if he doesn't perform well, he will get another opportunity, but they come far and fewer in between.
9:10But Keyshawn Davis, this is a must win, dog. You got to have this one, because if you have the out of the ring stuff that you just had. You're being written off. You had a whole new team, a whole new squad. You got a whole new weight class. If you do not perform in this fight, whether it's right or wrong, the boxing community will write you off. And he's already digging himself out of a personal hole, a career hole right now. It's going to be hard, Roy, if he don't perform in his fight against Jermaine Ortiz, January 31st, to really stake his claim as one of the next guys in the sport of boxing.
9:46Well, no disrespect to neither fighter, but I think he will perform against Jermaine Ortiz because here's how I see it, Dre. A person like Keyshawn Davis, when you see him start to have those issues outside the ring, that means that you're making it too easy for him inside the ring. You understand me? When it's easy inside the ring, they don't have no word. They don't have no backlash. They ain't got no responsibility. They feel like, oh, this is easy. And no pressure, no real pressure. When you put somebody like Ortiz on the other side of that fence, now it's a problem because guess what? Come in here and think you're going to just walk through this one and you're going to be in trouble.
10:18And that's what kind of fights he needs because he's the kind of guy that apparently, if you give him an easy fight, he's going to take it easy outside the ring as well. And he won't focus on that fight. He'll focus on other things. But if you give him a real fight, now he got to focus inside the ring. There's a difference. So there's a lot of guys, and people don't understand this, but this is why it's important that you try to learn your athlete and know who he is because I got a few guys like that myself. I can't match them in easy fights because they'll go lay down on me and train, you understand me?
10:46But if I put them hard, if I match them hard every time, not necessarily hard, but somebody that can beat them if they're not right, you make them get up off their behind. You feel me? So that's why I hate having guys fight bums because they start getting used to taking it easy even in training camp. Well, if you put a threat across there, now he knows that, hey, this guy's getting ready to upset me if he can. Now I got to be on my A game. And that's what this guy, I think, brings to the table for Keyshawn Davis. Yeah, Keyshawn has to have this one. There's no doubt about it. Keyshawn has to have this one.
11:19He cannot falter. Keyshawn Davis doesn't even have the luxury to win and not look at him. Exactly. Exactly. Because of his pass. That's the position he's in right now. Because of the pass, yes. and that happened overnight that's how quick the wind can blow and everything change the sport is fickle and even sometimes it's self-inflicted and a lot of what Keyshawn is dealing with is self-inflicted sometimes it's not sometimes it's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes it's just man my performance wasn't that good I had two lackluster performances back to back and now the whole world looking at me this way man to the young guys out there and even the guys that's already in position, stay locked in, stay focused because the pats on the back and everybody wanting to be around you today, it can and will change if you don't do your part and do your job.
12:08Do not rest. Do not take your foot off the gas until you hang them up. That's the only time you can really exhale. You can have momentary times where you can go on vacation, you know, take a little break here and there, but I'm saying your mental, I'm saying your focus, I'm saying your drive. You got to stay locked in. This is not a game. You can wake up one day. I know cats don't believe it. And everything can be different. And now you're playing, you're trying to fight out of a deficit. Now I'm behind the eight ball. Man, they don't believe no more. Now you got a different type of pressure now.
12:40And that's what Keyshawn is carrying. Jermaine Ortiz has a different type of pressure. His pressure is, I want these checks to keep coming in. I want to keep being a respected name in the sport. and I want to keep getting these phone calls. And from a personal standpoint, as a competitor, I got to beat one of these top guys. I'm on strike two. I swung at the first one, missed it. Swung at the second one, missed it. If I missed strike three, I might be out of here. That's how he got to see it. That's reality in boxing. So shout out again. We've done it on the show and we're going to do it again.
13:13We got to give credit where credit is due. Shout out Turkey El-Ashik for putting on these kind of fights where there's real storylines, there's real questions that need to be answered. It's the type of matchups that make you want to lean in. We had that in our co-main event, and we got that in the main event with Shakur Stevenson and Tiafimo Lopez at MSG New York City, January 31st. You've been working in the garage with your dad every week, Monday to Sunday, trying to get the old school up and running. Today, after all the hard work, y 'all finally finished it. so you have that feeling of uncomfortable you did it then your dad throws you the keys he says those three magic words all yours son yep same car that belonged to your grandpa and that your dad helped him fix it's yours three generations right there keeping the tradition alive but if you ask dad to really keep the tradition going you need to get insurance and you already know you need to get State Farm because your agent, well, he gets tradition too.
14:18His dad was an agent, his grandpa too. So he gets you. Generation to generation, remember to choose the agents that your family counted on. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Legendary doesn't happen by chance. It happens because it's what BetMGM does. Sign up for BetMGM and receive up to$1 ,500 back in bonus bets if you don't win your first bet. Get into hockey, basketball, and more of your favorite sports with same game parlays, live betting, and more. BetMGM, make it legendary. BetMGM and Game Sense reminds you to play responsibly. See BetMGM.com for terms, 21 plus only. This specific promotional offer is not available in Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, or West Virginia.
15:00Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET. Available in the U.S. For New York, call 877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPE-NY For Massachusetts, 1-800-327-5050. For Iowa, 1-800-BETS-OFF. For Puerto Rico, 1-800-981-0023. First bet offer for new customers only, subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in seven days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Imagine winning game day before the whistle blows. With American Express as the official payments partner of the NFL, card members around the world can get used to that feeling and enjoy incredible experiences at select events all season long.
15:41Plus, with the American Express Platinum Card, you can get exclusive access to unique experiences at sporting events and concerts worldwide, getting you closer to the moments that matter. Now that's membership at its best. Terms apply. Learn more about Amex's partnership with the NFL and Premium Events Collection at go.amex.nfl. This is Julian Edelman from Games With Names. Man, I got a look at this first ever Infiniti QX65 at the reveal, and wow, the second that silk came off, it grabbed your attention. Sporty, smart, and surprisingly spacious. It's the kind of SUV that really stands out. The design is bold, the lines are clean, and honestly, it feels like it was made to turn heads everywhere it goes.
16:31What's crazy is how Infinity keeps pushing the standard. They're always updating, upgrading, and just taking luxury to the next level. The QX65 isn't just about looks. It's about the full experience. The interior is loaded with details you'll notice right away. Plush seats, quilted leather, glossy back accents. It's the kind of cabin that makes you go, yeah, this is different. And then you back it up with performance, turbocharged engine, standard intelligent all-wheel drive, available 21-inch wheels. It feels unstoppable. Tech like ProPilot, Assist 2.1, Klipsch individual audio, and the 3D around view monitor just makes it complete.
17:19Ready to experience the first ever Infiniti QX65 for yourself? Visit infinityusa.com to see the QX65 and learn more. 2027 QX65 expected early summer 2026. Maybe we want to welcome to the Hall of Game, Keyshawn Davis, the 2021 Olympic silver medalist, former WBO lightweight world champion, who's moving up to 140 pounds against Jermaine Ortiz on the co-feature of Shakur Stevenson, Teofimo Lopez, January 31st at MSG Madison square garden, brother. Thank you. I know it's early, man, but thank you for coming on and spending some time with us on the hall of game. No problem. I appreciate y 'all fellas, man, bro.
18:07It's been your last fight where you actually in the ring was back in February, 2025. has been well documented. Some of the things you've been going through, you know, you didn't make weight for the last schedule fight last June in Norfolk. And obviously it's going to be a lot of chatter after something like that. But Keyshawn Davis is back at a new weight class, a new team, and against a real bona fide contender in the game. How are you feeling in training camp so far? I feel amazing, honestly. First of all, the vibes in this training camp, like, we laughing every single day. We having fun with this training camp.
18:46We also locked in studying every single day. You know, like, my coach is not playing with me, man. They making sure my diet is straight, my PT, making sure my body is straight. I mean, I don't got no complaints, man, honestly, man. Shoot, me and my team, we going to church together. like we just trying to do everything right you know what I'm saying so we can come out you know victorious but just not victorious just come out with a a groundbreaking win there's been a lot of change like we said since last year and there's a quote that you gave to ring magazine where you said everybody that I used to work with I don't work with anymore you said everybody is different everybody everybody got deleted deleted is crazy but I need you to explain that you said it's a A whole new team and a whole new system.
19:35Who is the new team and what is the new system? Well, I'm going to start with my nutritionist. My nutritionist's name is Allen Wilson. He stayed the same. He's been there. His name is Allen Wilson. He's a herbalist. Priority on it, super priority on the team, making sure my body is straight, everything going in and out. My PT, her name is Sunny. My head coach, Rendell Johnson, and my other coaches is Coach Ron, Coach Dorsett, and Coach Mustafa. How does it feel? I know you said the vibes have been good in this camp, but it is different. You get used to seeing certain faces, hearing certain voices.
20:15Sometimes you need to change. You went camp with Shakur Stevenson, so I know you got the brotherhood there. Y 'all pushing each other every day. But just how do you feel just with the new faces and the new voices around you?
20:29these guys that I'm with now, they've been with me since I first started boxing. So I literally, like, one of the main reasons why I wanted the new teams because when I saw Bo Mack and them have that big win with Canelo, their team was getting praised, and they was like, yeah, the Omaha team, the Omaha this. And honestly, I got inspired by that because Bo Mack and them was telling me how when they first started off, Everybody was looking at them like there was nothing and their team was weak and they grew up to that to be the best team in boxing. So I'm like, man, I want that. I want that for Norfolk.
21:05I want that for me. I want that for my new team. So I literally just went back in Norfolk and just got the people that I started with. And now now we got to show the world who we are. I'm going to get one more before Roy jump in and I'm going to let Roy get to the actual fight. But what reflections have you had over the last year? You know, me and Roy talked in the open of the show about how, you know, the wind can blow and things can change overnight and people can start looking at you different and people can start acting different. And sometimes it's self-inflicted wounds. There's things we brought on ourselves.
21:38And sometimes it's just the way life happens. But what reflections do you have or have you had over the last year from things that you did wrong? maybe things that just happened to you you know based on the circumstances and just you as a man not as a fighter yeah for sure as fighters and as a man like you said we got to take accountability for everything even when people do things wrong to us well we got to take accountability for us allowing that to happen you know when we do things to ourselves we got to reflect on ourselves like Keyshawn you was wrong you know what I'm saying so first thing is first I took accountability for everything and everybody that I feel like I hurt or did wrong to I literally went to them face to face or if it was across the country I called them I said look man I apologize like I was wrong and I did that with in every every every situation or every relationship that I had from June you know and after I thought I took accountability and told everybody wrong and figure out how we was going to move forward um that's when i just did my circle check but before honestly before all this man i just went to god first and he gave me the answers he told me how to move like this you know what i'm saying and as i went to god i i took accountability then i did my circle check and then he just gave me discernment to know who should be around me for going in the ring and when after this fight who should be around me just period it you know what i'm saying so first things first i went to god and he told me take accountability and he gave me discernment to build his new team so kishan uh my first question is how you doing brother you okay i'm amazing thank you that's awesome that's awesome so my first question was do you feel like you do you feel like you outgrewed 135 yes i feel like i outgrew 135 but if you want me be like honest like shoot i feel like you know i'm gonna be so honest like during that camp i was like going through like a lot of mental mental struggles and um how i was getting through it was literally just drinking every single day in camp i was basically drinking every day and i was just hurt bro from the previous camp and then the previous camp for that camp and then things were just lingering on and you know i was beating up limos with a bad mental i I was knocked out Berantik with a bad mental.
24:06So I was just like, man, I can fight. I can do this. Like, if I just get to the fight, that'd be good. Like, real talk. You know what I'm saying? I feel like because that was the only reason why I couldn't really lose those extra three pounds because I was just drinking. You know what I'm saying? Right. So I don't want to get into that, but you had a lot of issues you were saying beforehand. So all these changes and stuff didn't just come about after that situation. they were already building is what you're telling me yeah for sure i was just i'm a good person not not showing my true emotions remember when i missed weight those four pounds and everybody thought i was taking it like a game like everybody thought it didn't bother me bro before i came down and i knew i was four pounds over bro i asked my team bro i was i was hurt but soon that elevator opened and all the people was there mask you nobody gonna see me hurt like that's just me You're never going to see me hurt.
25:00So it's a gift and a curse. You know what I'm saying? But you live and you learn. Shout out to you for that because that's how you're supposed to do it as a grown man. This guy you got coming up, he's a guy that's been at the top for a minute. He's been at the door twice. He couldn't get through it. Are you going to stop him from getting through it this time too? I feel like Jermaine, he's a hell of a fighter. But I just feel like, you know, he's just not on my level. And I feel like when people are just not on my level, I stop these guys. So I feel like I'm going to stop Jermaine. Okay. All right.
25:33Well, my hat goes off to you for saying that, you know, I understand what you're saying about Omaha got their team. You want your own team. It takes a lot of balls to go out and do that and to say that in a position that you're in. And I want to say I also commend you for accepting accountability for your own mistakes and going back to people and apologizing. that's big that gives me a whole different new respect for you and so i'm looking forward to you doing a great job coming up uh in two weeks i hope the best to you from this point forward and uh if we ever can help you always look at look out how that me and dre we here yes sir i appreciate you roy yep for sure okay you know just because you got a new platform now and you've made some changes you know life gonna keep life and you still gonna have pressures you still gonna have things you got to deal with mentally emotionally how would you say that this camp or this period in your life is different than maybe the last couple camps that you just mentioned and how have you been able to deal with it people ain't gonna want to hear this but i give everything to god bro god first god in the middle of my day and god is last like i'm dead serious like that's all i'll be thinking about now was like dang did i pray how many times i prayed like I need to pray or like I give everything to God, bro.
26:48God's the ultimate healer. I just got a story this week. Somebody told me that their body was bothering them so much. This person was in so much pain. And then she said, man, one day, man, she got on her knees and was just praying, praying, praying all day. And then she said, next thing you know, something popped. And she said everything was just fine. Like she didn't feel nothing at all. And she was like, man, it's a dream. Is this real? And I'm just like, man, God is the ultimate healer, man. You know what I'm saying? So From from from me, you know, I lost a brother. His name is Kyrie I also just lost a family member like four days ago.
27:33Her name is Irene He's getting buried today. I gotta fly out to go to this fight. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, something like that, I would be like, I would be stressed out. I would be mentally drained. But Dre and Roy, when I got on this phone, y 'all asked me how I'm doing. What did I say? I said, I feel amazing. Why do I feel amazing? Because I give that pain to God. When my family member had died, I went on this mountain right outside my house. I went on top of a mountain, just me and him crying, praying, giving this pain back to him. And I can't say that I'm sad. Like I'm hurt that she's And my brother is gone But I can't say I'm walking around here sad I'm just not I feel amazing you know what I'm saying God is real and God is the only person that can do that for us Two more for me I know you went camp with Shakur It's always a beautiful thing It takes you back to the amateur days When y 'all get to train next to each other But now y 'all bonafide professionals And champions and all of that stuff So how has this camp been I know you said it's been great vibes but just well let me ask it this way have y 'all spar for this training camp have y 'all been able to get rounds in in this camp we have yes sir good work i already know it's good work anytime y 'all anytime you start hearing rumors of the work you know it's good work for sure bro what's gonna happen january 31st you know jermaine ortiz he coming with it as you are.
29:02You know he's going to be in shape. If I'm in Ortiz's camp, you accounting for the fact that Keyshawn has been off, you're accounting for the fact that Keyshawn is in a new weight class. Doesn't mean that's going to be the difference maker, but you got to put that in the pot. What is going to happen January 31st against Ortiz? For the people that don't know me, what's going to happen January 31st? For the ones that don't know me, when I walk in that arena and that energy, when my energy starts to float through that arena, they're going to be like, man, who is this kid? Who is this guy? Who is him?
Read the full transcript
29:36The curiosity is already going to start to grow before I get in that ring. When I walk in that ring, when I fight and they see me fight the very first round, they're going to say, oh, man, this kid is different. And they're just going to be zoomed in. For the people that don't know me, y 'all going to know me after I fight January 31st off of my energy, off of my spirit, and that don't lead to me fighting. How I fight and what I do in that ring, I can't really be compared. I do stuff that I do in that ring and only I could do in that ring. I'm very aggressive, but I'm very smart at that.
30:15I'm just the amazing Keyshawn Davis, man. Y 'all don't see that. Well, man, we can't wait. We're excited. From top to bottom, this card is a card You want to watch, you want to be there if you can, or you want to tune in because it's just a great, great night of boxing. Thank you, brother, for taking the time on the Hall of Game and get your work in. We'll see you soon. Yes, sir. Thank you. All right, brother. I want to welcome to the show Jermaine Ortiz, man. One of the top contenders in the game, a fighter who has fought top flight competition, world champions throughout the course of his career.
30:48You the co-main event, Jermaine, for the Ring 6, January 31st card at the Story Madison Square Garden live on DAZN against Keyshawn Davis. How did this fight come about, brother? And thank you for coming on the show. Thank you for having me. It's blessed being on here with two legends. Man, how this fight came about? This has been one of the messiest fights to make for me in my career, to be honest. I was first told I was going to fight Richardson Hitchens, and I signed that. He said he signed it, and that's who I'm prepping for. And then they say he's out. Then it's Keyshawn Davis. Then they say, all right, Keyshawn's out, and I was back with Hitchens.
31:34It was just a lot of back and forth the whole time. And then finally it was decided that it was Keyshawn Davis. But it was so much back and forth. I signed deals to fight both of them. And it was just weird because I think at one point Keyshawn comes out, oh, are you going to fight me? I'm like, yeah, I'm going to fight you, but I thought I was supposed to fight Hitchens. That's what the promoters are telling me. I'm going to sign it right now. But this was way before I even knew I was really going to fight him because then I signed the deal with Hitchens, and that's what they're telling me. I'm fighting.
32:13and just back and forth and that's what it came down to. Man, so... Can you give some old school advice for Andre? Let me give some old school advice, okay? When somebody comes to you and says, are you fighting me? You tell them damn right, when. Okay, what you got signed over there? Somebody comes to me and says, are you fighting me? Damn right, when? When you ready? Right now? When you ready? You understand me? That's what you got to get. That's what we got to get back in this fight game. You don't tell them, yeah, but no. That sounds like you already want to do it. You feel me? You got to say.
32:46I wasn't, yeah, but. I was like, yeah, I'll sign it. Of course, I'm going to fight you. But they told me I'm fighting Hitchens. You know, it's just clear. I see what you're saying, but, yeah. I get what you're saying. Forget about what they say when you want to do it. You understand me? That's how you got to. In boxing, that's how you got to react. So let that be a lesson. Don't ever let them catch you like that again, all right? I got you. Thank you. Hey, Jermaine, excuse Roy. we just had a conversation before you came on that got him a little turnt up. He still turnt up about that. So that's what that is right there.
33:13That's good. We gotta be turnt up, you know. I don't mind. I keep it real. I keep it real. Do you feel any type of way about you... I don't want to say if Keyshawn picked you, but this being the fight coming off of him being off on his lap, this layoff that he's been off of, you know, his last fight was supposed to be in June in his hometown. Came in four pounds overweight. He's just been off. Do you feel any type of way for him saying, you the guy I want to fight next coming off this layoff? No, I don't think that he had a choice to pick me. I think it was... I don't think he had the choice. It was me or he probably wasn't going to fight on the card.
33:51I don't think he had a choice. Really? Yeah. Okay. I don't think he would have wanted to pick me as his comeback fight, you know? First fight at 140 after the layoff, I don't think it was his choice. Really? Yeah. What do you think about him as a fighter? I think he's a good fighter, you know, an Olympian quality fighter. Everybody, I think, at this level, when you're getting on these cards and setting these big fights, you got to be a good fighter. You've had a title shot, man. You've fought elite-level competition, man, but you've yet to win that world title. So are you eyeing this fight? Is that fight to catapult you into that position to get you another title fight?
34:38Yeah, it is, man. You know, in boxing, opportunities don't just keep coming. And, you know, this is another chance at me defeating a top prospect, somebody with a name. And once I beat Keyshawn, you know, I think the sky's the limit for me. And I think I'll get another shot at a world title. As much as you can give us, how does Jermaine Ortiz fight a Keyshawn Davis? I think Jermaine just got to be Jermaine. You know, I don't really fight or adjust to fight somebody else's style. I stay my style. I fight how I fight. And they got to adjust to me. I don't adjust to somebody else. Is Keyshawn the best fighter you fought today, you think?
35:15Or have you fought fighters that are better? No, I fought fighters way better. Who do you think was better than Keyshawn? Lomachenko, Telfimo. I'm pretty sure I've had some other non-big names that were tougher than him. You know? Okay. Okay. So he shouldn't be able to offer you nothing that you haven't seen before? No. I don't think that will give you confidence. I think I'm his toughest competition in the pros. I don't think he's fought anybody on my level in the professional ranks. I just know I'm faster than him. I got more mobility than him. I'm bigger than him. I'm stronger than him. And all that's going to come play on January 31st.
35:55Okay. How do you feel about Davis Coming up to 140 pounds For this first fight Do you think that You know sometimes When a guy comes up It's a good idea Because they've been Killing themselves To make the lower weight And sometimes They go up And it's a bad idea Like what do you think About his move up You think it's a weight issue thing Or you just think he's like Oh I want to try to get Another fight At a higher weight class I don't know Because I don't know his body I don't know his body I don't know his size Really like that So I can't tell you If it's because He couldn't make weight At 135 And he needed to move up And some people genuinely need to move up to 140.
36:28I know I was one of those guys that had to move up to 140 way before I did. Way before I did, I should have moved up, and it was a good thing. But I'm a solid 140-pound contender, and the guys that he fought at 135, I don't even think they were really solid 135-pounders. Tell me about the weight game. We talk about the weight classes, and you hear the term weight bully get thrown out there. To me, that's an internet phrase. It's not a boxing phrase. I never heard about a weight bully growing up. If we get in a ring and we agree to fight and you make the weight and I make the weight, we got to figure it out.
37:03And if your weight is the issue and you were too strong, I got to deal with that and I got to go back to the drawing board. But how do you look at the weight class situation? Because, again, sometimes guys need to move up in weight. But then other times, to your point, we think we're getting an advantage. The way we were taught it as fighters is you stay down in that weight class as long as you can. you a big 130, you a big 135, you a big 140. And I've learned over time that that's not always the right thing. I don't mind you looking bigger, right? Being taller, maybe having a bigger stature than me, but I'm going to have more energy because I didn't have to kill myself as much.
37:44You had to come down 20 pounds to make weight. I only had to cut 10. I look at the guy that had to do less to damage his body. Most of the time has the advantage. Is that the way you look at it? I do look at that, and I think a prime example was Mayweather. Mayweather always walked around his weight. He fought guys all sizes, and it didn't matter because when you have the experience and when you have the intelligence and the ring IQ, size doesn't matter. Size doesn't matter, and I've learned over time that I think the more you weight cut, the more you're prone to getting dropped, hurt, and getting dazed out when you weight drain yourself.
38:22So I don't think that's an advantage as it used to be. You know, that's maybe as you're coming up, but once you face top-level competition, none of that stuff matters. Because if you've got the ring IQ and you know how to outbox somebody and you know how to beat somebody, you're going to be able to beat them no matter what. You know, and I think that's what makes the difference, too, between a young athletic athlete, right, fighter versus a well-seasoned older fighter, right? He may not be as athletic, but he got the ring IQ to still dominate and control the young gun. So it's the same thing, right?
38:56Young versus old. And age will catch up to you, but if you got the ring IQ, you can still know how to get through. You can stretch it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You go a lot longer. Yeah. I'm going to take you out the ring for just a second, man. I know you stay part-time in the States and part-time in Dubai, right? Yeah. you something you comfortable talking about yeah yeah of course okay yes you say part-time and say tell me about that Dubai life man because I have never been to Dubai I almost went a couple times for some business and it didn't work out um tell me about that Dubai life why you make that move um to be honest the first time I went over there was like what five five years ago five and a half years ago.
39:41And it was first some curiosity into Islam. That's kind of what led my first journey there. But then after that, I made friends. I had a community. Because no matter where you are in the world, if you don't have a community of people that you love and that you care for, it doesn't matter where you're at if you're alone, if you don't have people that you care about. So I think that's one thing that influenced me on how much time I spent over there, is that community that I built over there. And I just felt like it adjusted to my lifestyle. You know, like I didn't have to, it was very easy for me to just kind of be there.
40:21For me, I find it just as economical than staying in the States because the States is expensive. So being overseas in a place that you have a better quality of life and with better amenities with either the same price or less price than it costs here, for me, it's a no-brainer. And when I was young, I've always wanted to live outside the country. I've always said, you know, I want to earn my dollars, my U.S. dollars, but I'll spend them overseas because they'll stretch me a lot longer. So it's one of those things where if it's Dubai, Spain, wherever it is, you know, I just like traveling. Is it true what they say about Dubai?
41:04Like the crime is low, the pressure is low. it's not a big, even though it's a big place, I assume, like from what I see, it doesn't have that big city feel and it's not a lot of rampant crime, right? Not rampant crime that you see, but you know, there's things, you know, that would hide what really goes on, you know, as any place would be that where tourism is and where expats start to, there's an influx of expats and all people all over the world, eventually something's going to happen, you know um nothing that i've seen but you know they have they have news and you hear things wasn't you i was there i left i left um during the ceremony i was there and i came back the day after the ceremony but i completely forgot about it i was there with my daughter i brought my daughter there for the first time and i didn't get to make it all right it's a beautiful place it has a big city feel uh for sure andre uh and um you know it's like you just got to know the right places to go the good thing about downtown is they got cameras everywhere so like you run a red light or you do something wrong they don't even come stop you unless you go home and then they deliver the ticket to your house or they come see you you feel me so it's like that's the biggest right man i drive every single time i don't even like driving over there because i just like i'd rather get a taxi it's just more i don't like driving but anytime i do run a car and i start driving i get them tickets to my phone every single time for going a little bit past the speed limit being on my phone or something.
42:33Always getting a ticket. So that's why the crime is so low, Andre, because cameras are everywhere. They're going to see everything that go on, so you can forget that. Ain't going to be no kidnapping, none of that, not in downtown. So that's the big thing. What is Keyshawn, what do you think that he's seeing wrong or getting wrong about you? When he looks at you and you hear him talk about you, what do you think he's getting wrong about Jermaine Ortiz? To be honest, I don't even know what he's been saying because I'm not a person that be on the internet too much. I don't scroll on social media and I don't really pay attention much to what my opponent be saying because I'm just locked in and I'm focused on what I got to do.
43:10I'm not going to let nothing get to me, nothing get to my head, what this person's saying about me or whatnot. But whatever it is, he's going to find out January 31st. He's going to know I'm something real. He's going to feel these punches. It's not nothing he's been dealing with when he was in the lightweight division with the opponents he had. This is going to be a real test for him. And this is not one that he's going to pass. Unfortunately, this is one that I know if he was to beat me, you know, it would put him up like, wow, he actually beat a real challenger because who has he fought? I won 35.
43:42He hasn't fought nobody. I won 35, but he's not going to get past me. And that's unfortunate, but it's a good thing for me. Well, Jermaine, we appreciate you taking the time out of training camp, man. We're really excited about this whole car, January 31st, live on DAZN at Madison Square Garden. Man, this is a great opportunity for you, brother. We can't wait to go out there and see you perform, do your thing, man, finish camp healthy, and we'll talk to you later, brother. Thank you for taking the time to come on the Hall of Game. Thank you, man. I appreciate you. Yes, sir. And still up to you.
44:14Thank you.
44:34This is Jacob Goldstein from What's Your Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at odoo.com. That's odoo.com. If you're looking for more flexibility in how you pay for everyday purchases, meet Klarna. Klarna lets you decide whether to pay now, pay later, or spread payments over time.
45:18All managed right in the Klarna app. Download the Klarna app today or visit Klarna.com to learn more. Terms apply. California resident loans made or arranged pursuant to a California finance law license. NMLS number 135-3190. Klarna balance account required to be eligible for cashback points. Limitations, terms, and conditions apply. At CVS, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and, yeah, healthy snack.
45:57At CVS, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters. So visit us at cvs.com or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location. Okay, laundry stinks, literally. I mean, you could just keep buying new underwear. Not that I've ever done that. Or maybe sort your clothes into piles based on how re-wearable or filthy they are. Or just use Arm & Hammer Deep Clean. It's made for real-life stings and stains. So even if you don't do laundry the, quote, right way, Deep Clean will knock it out. I mean, it is from the number one liquid detergent brand that tackles more loads than any other.
46:41Come clean with Arm & Hammer Deep Clean. Number one claim based on total wash loads sold. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.
From the publisher
Andre Ward & Roy Jones Jr. sit down with Keyshawn Davis and Jamaine Ortiz ahead of their clash on the Lopez vs. Stevenson undercard on January 31st in Madison Square Garden. Keyshawn Davis admits he was drinking daily during his last camp, a revelation that explains his struggles on the scale. Now he’s promising a different mindset as he looks ahead. Meanwhile, Jamaine Ortiz makes it clear he wasn’t chosen — he earned this shot. The tension between accountability and rivalry sets the stage for fireworks.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.



