Lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis and 140-lb contender Gustavo Lemos are finalizing a deal to meet on Nov. 8 in a headliner on a Top Rank-promoted show on ESPN in US Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn’s hometown of Norfolk , Virginia.
The fight will take place in the 135-lb division, and recently beaten Argentinian Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs) will move down in weight to face Keyshawn (11-0, 7 KOs). It’s unclear why Top Rank isn’t comparing Keyshawn, 25, to a top-15 lightweight instead of a light welterweight, but perhaps Davis’ last performance gave them second thoughts.
You have to wonder what Top Rank’s top brass thinks of Keyshawn after signing him out of the Olympics three years ago. He doesn’t seem to be working out for them, and they have to think, ‘How do we get rid of this albatross?’ He hasn’t shown anything to suggest he’s headed for world title honors, and it could be a wise move to unload if he doesn’t improve soon.
The Lemos fight is a good test case to decide if he should keep Keyshawn or throw him overboard for someone like Eddie Hearn to save.
The Ghost of Andy Cruz
2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz would probably jump at the chance to fight Keyshawn if the match was offered to him. Cruz beat Keyshawn four times in the amateur ranks and danced after his victory in the 2020 Olympic finals.
Interestingly, Keyshawn celebrated in the ring and acted like he won the fight despite losing 4-1 to Cruz. It was an excellent example of a person altogether disconnected from reality. Cruz would be perfect for the November 8th fight against Keyshawn if asked.
Keyshawn is coming off a ten-round unanimous decision victory over Miguel Madueno on July 6 in a fight that looked like a WWE wrestling match with the rowhouse tactics Davis used to avoid getting hit.
Once Keyshawn felt Madueno’s power early on, he turned the fight into a wrestling match, picking up from the floor, grappling, frequently clutching, pushing, elbowing and throwing quick shots.
I lost track of all the dirty maneuvers Keyshawn used in the fight to escape the heavy shots of Madueno. All this without being penalized or disqualified. If not disqualified, Keyshawn should have been docked three to four points for the rowhouse tactics.
Keyshawn looked like he belonged at Wrestlemania because he didn’t remember a boxer in the ring that night. Poor Madueno kept looking at the referee for help encouraging him to do his job but he didn’t seem interested. He was right there in his body watching the dirt filled spectacle of the A-side fighter, Keyshawn.
Gustavo’s dubious loss
Lemos is coming off a questionable 12-round unanimous decision loss to Richardson Hitchins on April 6 in an IBF light welterweight title eliminator in Las Vegas. The judges scored it 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 for Hitchins. I scored it 118-110 for Lemos.
It was a one-sided fight that Lemos dominated, but the Nevada judges gave it to American Hitchins. Hitchins’ incredible fighting style is a carbon copy of Shakur Stevenson’s. The only difference between the two is that Richardson has more pop in his shots and at least tries to sit on his shots.
It’s unclear why promoter Eddie Hearn had to sign Shakur when he already had a duplicate of him that he didn’t talk about for some reason.
Keyshawn is ranked #3 IBF, #3 WBC, and #3 WBO. The #3 ranking at the WBC is a waste because Keyshawn won’t be fighting his good friend Shakur Stevenson, the lightweight champion.
