“Albright is a certified natural born Philly spoiler, a guy that you should avoid,” said Sergio Mora on Chris Mannix’s show.
That quote captures the issue with this rematch against Nahir Albright. It is a dangerous situation, especially when one factors in the psychological side of it. Rematches against spoilers like Nahir Albright are about surviving a guy who has already figured out how to make you look bad.
Many fans had their first fight a draw. One of the official judges felt the same way, and the reality is that Keyshawn struggled with Albright’s length and timing. Bringing him back for a homecoming is a massive risk because Albright is a specialist in ruining big nights.
It looks like a homecoming on the surface. Same city, familiar opponent, built-in storyline from their first fight, and the fallout between the camps. Those elements make it easy to sell.
Complaining about a win being overturned due to a failed drug test, even for marijuana, rarely sits well with fans. It brushed off the fact that rules are rules in professional boxing, and the “buying a house” comment felt tone-deaf to a lot of people who felt Keyshawn hadn’t earned that level of success in the ring yet.
“Why do you need to take a fight that you already had your hands full with this guy? This guy already learned you like you learned him,” Mora said.
Top Rank has a very specific way of moving their blue-chip prospects. Since the Albright scare, they’ve largely switched to guys like Jose Pedraza, who was a shell of his former self, or Miguel Madueno. These fights are designed to rebuild the KO artist image without the risk of an actual upset for Keyshaw.
Albright has already “learned” Keyshawn. In their first fight, Albright realized he could take Keyshawn’s power and still be there in the 10th round. That confidence makes a spoiler even more dangerous in a second go-around.
While the recent run of opponents might feel like a series of safe bets, Albright is different. He isn’t a gimmee in the traditional sense because he doesn’t come to lose. He comes to make the fight ugly, frustrate the A-side, and steal rounds.
If Keyshawn hasn’t made significant adjustments to how he handles pressure and awkward movement, Norfolk might not be the celebration Top Rank is expecting.
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