Keyshawn Davis and his two brothers set for Norfolk, Va., homecoming
Rising lightweight will step up vs. Gustavo Lemos; Brian Norman to make 1st WBO welterweight title defense against Derrieck Cuevas
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
Unbeaten rising lightweight Keyshawn Davis is coming home to box in Norfolk, Virginia, for the first time as a pro.
Davis, the 2022 Fight Freaks Unite prospect of the year and 2020 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, will face Gustavo Lemos in the 10-round main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card on Nov. 8 at the Scope, Top Rank announced on Wednesday, confirming a previous FFU report.
WBO welterweight titlist Brian Norman will make his first defense in the co-feature against Derrieck Cuevas, a fight made when negotiations for a Norman unification fight with IBF titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis failed to be finalized over a difference in the money for Norman’s side.
Davis will be joined on the card by two of his brothers. Older brother and junior welterweight Kelvin Davis (13-0, 7 KOs), 27, will face fellow southpaw Yeis Solano (15-3, 10 KOs), 31, a Colombia native fighting out of Las Vegas, in an eight-rounder and younger brother and welterweight Keon Davis, 23, a U.S. Olympic Trials champion, will make his pro debut against an opponent to be determined in a four-rounder.
I am in my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage. Take advantage of that experience by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
“Norfolk has been waiting for Keyshawn Davis to come home for years,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “This is going to be a great night of fights headlined by a real competitive main event. Lemos is full of confidence, and Keyshawn will have to be in top form.”
For Davis, the homecoming and the venue he will fight in represent the fulfillment of a dream.
“As a young kid growing up in Norfolk, I dreamed of accomplishing enough to headline a card at Scope Arena one day,” Keyshawn Davis said. “My boxing idol is the legendary (Norfolk native) Pernell ‘Sweet Pea’ Whitaker, and I want to pack that arena like he used to. He’s the greatest from my city, and I’m honored to continue that legacy.
“I can’t wait to put on a spectacular show against a tough opponent in Gustavo Lemos. Everyone from the 757 will be in my corner.”
Whitaker, the late Hall of Fame four-division champion, longtime pound-for-pound king, and 1984 Olympic gold medalist, boxed 10 times at the Scope during his legendary career.
The fight will be the third for Davis (11-0, 7 KOs), 25, this year. He looked sensational knocking out former two-division titlist Jose Pedraza in the sixth round in February followed by a near-shutout decision of Miguel Madueno on July 6.
Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs), 28, of Argentina, is coming off his only loss, a competitive decision against Richardson Hitchins in an IBF junior welterweight title eliminator in April in Las Vegas.
“This is a big occasion for Keyshawn Davis, and I am coming to Norfolk to spoil the party,” Lemos said. “He picked the wrong guy. On Nov. 8, he’ll find out the truth. He’s not on my level.”
Atlanta native Norman (26-0, 20 KOs), who at 23 is boxing’s youngest active male titleholder, is coming off his biggest win in May, when he knocked out unbeaten and heavily favored Giovani Santillan to win the vacant WBO interim title in Santillan’s hometown of San Diego. In August, Norman was elevated to full titleholder when Terence Crawford vacated.
Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs), 29, of Puerto Rico, has won four fights in a row, each by knockout, and is getting his first shot at a world title.
Also on the card:
Red-hot lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason (15-0, 13 KOs), 20, of Cleveland, will take on Dominican Yohan Vasquez (26-5, 21 KOs), 30, in an eight-rounder. Mason, a leading prospect of the year candidate, is 4-0 with four knockouts this year, all in four rounds or less.
Alexandria, Virginia, middleweight Troy Isley (13-0, 5 KOs), 25, Davis’ Olympic teammate, will fight in his home state for the first time against Tyler Howard (20-1, 11 KOs), 30, of Crossville, Tennessee, in a 10-rounder.
Amherst, Virginia, middleweight Austin DeAnda (14-0, 10 KOs), 21, meets DeAundre Pettus (11-2, 6 KOs), 30, of Columbia, South Carolina, in an eight-rounder.
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 24 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
I’ll be arriving at the Scope early in hopes of securing a Joe Tessitore autograph for Nando.