Keyshawn Davis, the WBO lightweight champion, will have to vacate his title prior to his anticipated fight against Edwin De Los Santos, which is set to take place in front of his hometown crowd at Norfolk Scope. This bout marks a significant moment for Norfolk, as it is the first title fight in over 30 years for the city.
As of Friday afternoon, the official weights for the fighters on the Keyshawn vs. De Los Santos card were released. Unfortunately for Davis, he weighed in at 139.3 pounds, exceeding the lightweight limit of 135 pounds by four pounds. In expressing his disappointment, Davis shared, “I outgrew the weight. I’ve been making this weight for over four years now.” He attempted to make the weight but ultimately could not.
Despite the setback, Davis showed confidence that De Los Santos would still go forward with the fight, emphasizing his plans to eventually move up to the 140-pound division. “I was honestly going to go to 140 after this anyways,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Davis’s brothers, Kelvin and Keon, successfully made their respective weights, with Kelvin coming in at the limit of 140 pounds for his match against Nahir Albright. Keon also made weight comfortably for his undercard bout against Michael Velez-Garcia.
Despite the challenges faced by Keyshawn, the Davis brothers remain focused on making the event a success, demonstrating resilience in the face of disappointment. This fighting spirit echoes the excitement of local fans eager to support their hometown heroes and the wider community’s enthusiasm for this returning event after decades.