Will Keyshawn Davis Regret Giving Lemos a Pass On Weight?
For his next in-ring contest, lightweight contender Keyshawn “The Businessman” Davis (11-0, 7 KO’s) will headline against Gustavo “El Electrico” Lemos (29-1, 19 KO’s). Yet, the match is only going forward due to the goodwill of Davis. This is due to the fact that The Businessman insisted the bout be staged even though Lemos weighed in a whopping six pounds over the contracted weight. Rather than halt the action, Davis was only too happy to proceed with the card.
“I was happy; I know that I am going to get paid more money so the show must go on!” – Keyshawn Davis
HISTORY REPEATING?
This shares a similar earmark of when two-division champion Devin Haney took on two-time title challenger and one-time drug cheat Ryan Garcia. Then it was Garcia who came in 3 pounds heavy. Like Davis, Haney gave in the infraction little thought and eagerly went on with the bout after an agreement to be compensated was put in play.
Once in the ring though Haney would go on to have by far his most disastrous night in the ring. Over twelve rounds he was floored three times, hurt badly and initially suffered a points loss. This was later ruled to be a no-contest following Garcia being flagged and suspended for an Ostarine PED’s infraction. Obviously The Businessman does not want his duel to resemble the Haney fight whatsoever. Especially, after giving Haney so much flack in the aftermath.
PRIDE OVER PROCEDURE
As he marches to his own battlefield, it’s evident that Davis is brimming with confidence. Yet, it must be asked: has The Businessman made a grave tactical error? Giving up a six-pound concession is significant, to say the least.
Sure, Lemos is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Richardson Hitchins. Prior to his sole professional loss however, El Electrico was riding a five-year, ten-fight knockout streak. Ranked #6 (IBF), #9 (WBC) and #13 (WBO) there is little reason to envision Lemos not being a rough customer minus any head starts or special benefits.
It will be interesting to see how the duel ultimately plays out for Davis. Not only is he headlining the overall card, the event is taking place in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. Traditionally speaking, staging matches in a fighters hometown often come with additional pressure and distraction that frequently result in subpar performances. For his part, The Businessman does not believe this will affect him and is greatly looking forward to putting on a great show.
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