Keyshawn Davis. Photograph by Mikey Williams/Prime Rank Inc by way of Getty Photos
Not because the days of Pernell Whitaker has there been a boxing occasion of this magnitude to hit The Scope Area in Norfolk, Virginia.
At simply 25 years outdated, Keyshawn Davis wasn’t round to see “Candy Pea” pack the largest area within the “Mermaid Metropolis,” however he’s heard loads of tales of all the metropolis popping out to help their boxing star. The Boxing Corridor of Famer fought there ten occasions – along with plenty of different occasions across the Hampton Roads space – and now the 2020 Olympic silver medalist turned light-weight contender is hoping to begin a convention of his personal there.
Davis (11-0, 7 knockouts) will face Gustavo Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs) within the ten spherical fundamental occasion on Friday, Nov. 8 at The Scope, with the bout to air reside on ESPN+.
Davis says the one earlier occasions he had attended at The Scope have been the Christmas highschool basketball video games, the place his highschool workforce can be in motion and so would Davis, chatting with ladies from across the space. Now he’s set to be the principle attraction.
“The vibe is loopy. The day they dropped the tickets, they have been tenting exterior the field workplace at 4 a.m. to get the tickets like Jordans are about to drop. The town goes loopy behind this,” Davis advised The Ring in a video interview.
Keyshawn gained’t be the one Davis on the cardboard, nevertheless. His older brother Kelvin Davis (13-0, 7 KOs) will face Yeis Solano (15-3, 10 KOs) in an eight spherical junior welterweight bout, whereas his youthful brother, 2024 U.S. Olympic trials champion Keon Davis will make his professional debut in a 4 spherical welterweight bout in opposition to Jalen Moore (1-1, 1 KO).
Collectively, the brothers kind a collective they name “DB3”. Whereas Keyshawn and Kelvin have fought many occasions on the identical playing cards, each beginner {and professional}, Keyshawn has by no means gotten to struggle on the identical card as his 23-year-old brother, which is an added perk for this occasion.
“For DB3 the Davis brothers to be bringing it again to the city and simply reflecting on the final time he did it which is 30 years. It’s like man, we’ve gotta do it as massive or greater so we’ve gotta attain out to as a lot folks as he did, children, households, to let the folks know there’s a brand new spark within the metropolis. That is one thing new, that is one thing recent, it’s not a live performance coming to town, it’s not celebrities that you just’ve by no means seen earlier than, it’s not soccer or basketball, this can be a boxing occasion and these three boxers all grew up within the metropolis. All of us went to elementary faculty, all of us went to center faculty and highschool within the metropolis. Individuals really know us for being within the metropolis. That is massive for us nevertheless it’s enormous for town as a result of they know the place we got here from,” stated Davis.
Towards, Lemos, 28, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Davis is combating what many count on can be his most troublesome struggle up to now, although Davis says that has been the case nearly every time he’s stepped into the ring. Lemos can be combating for simply the second time in america, however he made a major impression in that struggle, shedding a detailed choice to Richardson Hitchins in April.
“It was undoubtedly a 50-50 struggle, it might have gone both means or it might have been a draw,” stated Davis, when requested about Lemos vs. Hitchins.
“What I’m gonna do with him? I’m gonna beat his ass. I’m not gonna play with him. Each single time I struggle individuals are like ‘Oh Keyshawn is combating this particular person, he’s a step up’ after which I’m going in there and beat their ass. Not being cocky, I simply know what I’m God gifted with. I’m gifted with a blessing, and numerous fighters usually are not blessed.”
Ought to he get previous Lemos, Davis says he has his sights on anybody with a belt at 135 kilos, be it IBF titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko or WBO titleholder Denys Berinchyk, however the highest profile doable matchup Keyshawn Davis might line up can be in opposition to Gervonta “Tank” Davis, holder of the WBA belt and one of many sport’s greatest field workplace sights.
Keyshawn Davis hasn’t been shy about calling out the unbeaten Baltimore native, although he’s not optimistic in “Tank” Davis searching for that struggle out.
“Undoubtedly keen on combating Tank for certain, I didn’t name him out for no purpose. If Tank needs to struggle me, he’ll ship me a contract, the identical means he despatched Frank Martin a contract, the identical means he despatched Lamont Roach a contract. He can do something he needs to do,” stated Keyshawn Davis.
“I might beat the shit out of Tank. He’s too brief, he’s not gonna be capable of contact me. You possibly can’t simply hand over rounds on me, there’s numerous habits that he created that he can’t do in opposition to me.”
