Keyshawn Davis produced the best performance of his career in front of a sellout home crowd, sending a thunderous message to the lightweight division on Friday at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia.
Davis (12-0, 8 KOs), who vowed pre-fight to follow in the legendary footsteps of Norfolk’s Pernell Whitaker, knocked down Argentina’s Gustavo Lemos three times in the second round, forcing the referee to call a halt to the action after the third knockdown. Lemos (29-2, 19 KOs) had only been defeated once before Friday’s highlight-reel setback in a razor-thin decision at the hands of Richardson Hithchins. Consequently, Davis beating Lemos in the fashion he did is a real statement in the lightweight division.
What makes the 2020 Olympic silver medalist’s win even more impressive was the size disadvantage he had in the fight. Lemos weighed in 6.4 pounds over the 135-pound limit at Thursday’s weigh-in, and by the time he entered the arena on Friday, he’d rehydrated all the way up to 155.6 pounds. Lemos was noticeably bigger than Davis in the ring, but that didn’t faze the American, who called out Gervonta “Tank” Davis for an eventual showdown following his stellar performance.
Davis will now likely fight for a world title in 2025. He is ranked No. 3 with the IBF and the WBO, and both title shots could be on the table in the near future. WBO officials said at their convention last month that they would consider making the winner of Friday’s fight the mandatory challenger for Denys Berinchyk. Vasyl Lomachenko’s future is unclear, which could leave the IBF title vacant as well.
On the undercard, top prospect Abdullah Mason rose from two knockdowns in the opening round to knock out Yohan Vasquez with a brutal left hand to the body in round two. The opening round of Mason vs. Vasquez was an instant contender for Round of the Year, as Mason was dropped twice in the round but also put Vasquez on the canvas across an exhilarating three minutes.
Check out Uncrowned’s Keyshawn Davis vs. Gustavo Lemos full results and live blog below.
