On December 9th, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, the boxing world will be closely watching as lightweight prospect Keyshawn Davis takes on Jose Pedraza. This fight is a part of the undercard for the Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza WBO featherweight title clash, brought to us by Top Rank promotions. At 24, with an unblemished record of 10-0 and 6 KOs, Davis is considered one of the sport's promising talents. However, his recent shaky performance against Nahir Albright has raised doubts about his readiness for the big leagues.
Pedraza, at 34, isn’t the formidable fighter he once was, especially with two losses in his last three outings. Many believe that his prime faded post his 2017 defeat to Gervonta Davis. Keyshawn’s bout against him is crucial, not just as a comeback from his recent underwhelming performance but also to assert his place in the boxing hierarchy. A win against Pedraza might be impressive, but it’s essential to note that he won’t be defeating the Pedraza of yesteryears.
Interestingly, Pedraza’s career trajectory took a noticeable dip after his decision to move to the 140 weight class following his loss to Vasily Lomachenko in 2018. This choice led to defeats from fighters like Jose Zepeda and Jose Ramirez, making one wonder if a revert to 135 could have played in his favor.
Davis, on the other hand, still has many questions to answer. His vulnerabilities, highlighted in the 2020 Olympics by Andy Cruz and more recently by Albright, still loom large. Top Rank might face a dilemma if Davis doesn’t convincingly win against Pedraza. With Shakur Stevenson showing promise in the same weight category, Davis’s path seems challenging.
Image Credit: Sky Sports