“A couple of them had no footwork,” Ellis said to MillCity Boxing when asked about some of the opponents Davis has faced as a professional. The implication was clear. Those fights were made to order. Ortiz is not.
Ortiz is lighter on his feet. He changes angles. He does not stay in front of you long enough to be lined up. Ellis believes that matters most early. The first few rounds, in his view, will decide whether the night stays manageable for Davis or becomes a grind.
“Ortiz has got pretty good feet,” Ellis said. “It’s going to be a difficult task for Keyshawn in the first few rounds.”
Ellis framed the fight around one question. Can Davis hurt Ortiz? If the answer is yes, the fight simplifies. Ortiz slows, the movement fades, and the exchanges become shorter. Davis can settle.
If not, Ellis expects trouble, but not dramatic trouble. It won’t be a collapse, just work. Rounds that require adjustment. Rounds that require patience. Rounds that pile up without separation.
“If he don’t hurt him, he’s got work to do,” Ellis said. “It’s going to be a close decision. Possibly a draw.”
That assessment cuts against the idea of Davis rolling through the matchup. It also places pressure on Davis to show more than control. Ellis believes Ortiz will force that conversation.
Ellis also turned the lens briefly on Ortiz. When reminded that Ortiz pushed Teofimo Lopez hard in 2024, Ellis acknowledged the performance but saw a missed opportunity.
“I think he’s got to turn it up a little bit more to be successful,” Ellis said. “He didn’t step on the gas enough in that fight.”
That hesitation could matter here. Against Davis, moments do not linger. If Ortiz creates space but fails to cash in, rounds slip away.
Ellis is not predicting an upset. He is predicting tension. A fight where neither man fully separates. A fight where footwork shapes the early story, and damage decides whether it ever changes.
