Echoes of Pernell Whitaker as Keyshawn Davis brings big-time boxing back to Virginia

Big-time boxing has vanished from Virginia. Long gone are the days when the late Pernell Whitaker was featured as a hometown hero in the Old Dominion State. 

“Sweet Pea” fought 11 of his 45 career bouts at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, but none since 1994 when Whitaker defended his welterweight title in a rematch against Buddy McGirt. Whitaker retired in 2001 and passed away in 2019, and the region has mostly been devoid of the sweet science over the last 30 years. 

That all comes to an end Friday night when Norfolk’s lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis, 11-0 (7 KOs), takes on Gustavo Lemos, 29-1 (19 KOs), at the Scope Arena on ESPN+, marking the first time in Top Rank Boxing history that the promotional company has staged an event in Virginia. 

The card will be a family affair, as Keyshawn’s brothers Kelvin Davis, 13-0 (7 KOs), and the pro debut of Keon Davis will also be featured on the show.

The community has responded well, with over 10,000 tickets being sold for the three-year pro Davis’ first headlining event.

The developments have been music to the ears of the 25-year-old nicknamed “The Businessman.” 

“This is a very special moment and definitely something we’ve been dreaming about since we were amateurs,” Davis told BoxingScene. “I always had big dreams and big visions. We worked our asses off to get here. This is something that God has written for us and we are just living it out. I think the fans see that I can be one of the best in the sport and I am not just having a hometown fight. 

“After I have a spectacular performance with Lemos, we are going to take it state to state and my hometown will be following me and we’re going to be at the breaking point of becoming a superstar. After I become a world champion, my name will be solidified in the sport.”

“I’m becoming a world champion in the next year. Guaranteed. Period.”

The 2020 United States Olympic silver medalist has had a solid 2024 so far by dominating former titleholder Jose Pedraza via knockout in February and outmuscling Miguel Madueno in July for a unanimous decision.

“My performance against Madueno was a solid A performance,” said Davis. “My defense was on point and I didn’t get touched with any of his bombs. It was a very physical and rough fight and he didn’t get tired for 10 rounds. A lot of the up-and-coming contenders at 135 can’t handle a fight like that. That’s why I got a lot of respect from that fight.”

The fight against the game and gritty Lemos will be another Litmus test for Davis. 

Lemos, a 28-year-old eight-year pro from Argentina, made his US debut in April and gave Richardson Hitchins a rough fight. Many observers believe Lemos beat Hitchins in a fight that was officially ruled a unanimous decision win for Hitchins. The fight was separated by 11 punches (172 to 161) in Hitchins’ favor. 

Lemos’ performance was good enough to land a co-promotional deal from Top Rank in May. Lemos, who retired former titleholder Lee Selby by knocking out the Brit in 2022, is still linked with co-promoter O.R. Promotions. 

“Lemos is going to have a lot on his plate on November 8 dealing with a complicated fighter like me,” said Davis. “I feel like I am the best in the division and I’m going to show it with each fight. In just 11 fights, I’ve kept opening the eyes of fans with my performances. I’ve been doing a lot of talking but I’ve been backing it up.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter whose work has appeared on ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Today, The Guardian, Newsweek, Men’s Health, NFL.com, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Ring Magazine and more. He has been writing for BoxingScene since 2018. Manouk is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.