Keyshawn Davis and Andy Cruz to battle for gold
In boxing, there is a famous phrase: “the best fighting the best.” In a perfect world, this would happen all the time on the professional level. To be fair, in a few circumstances, it is true. However, in amateur boxing, more times than not, that is what fans get to see and this is the case with Keyshawn Davis and Andy Cruz.
THE BEGINNING OF A SAGA
These two fighters are fated to face each other in the final round of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Both fighters are extremely familiar with each other. Davis has fought his Cuban counterpart for a gold medal in the Pan American Games and the World championships. Cruz was deemed the victor in both encounters, and Davis is on a mission to finally get that elusive win over the one fighter that has kept him from winning Gold.
ACT 1: Keyshawn Davis
Despite being a professional fighter with an undefeated record of 3-0, 2 KO’s, Davis has dominated the lightweight bracket en route to the Olympic Gold medal round. His performance against Hovhannes Backhov in the semi-finals was nothing short of spectacular. However, Cruz is again the man standing in his way of winning the gold medal. This time, the boxer from Norfolk, Virginia is not the same fighter the Cuban defeated back in 2019. Davis is ready to finally get the biggest win of his life on the biggest stage of them all.
ACT 2: Andy Cruz
Cruz is one of the most gifted fighters on the Cuban National Team, and he has been running through the fighters in his bracket with relative ease. His only close fight was a quarterfinal 4-1 judged split decision against Brazilian fighter Wanderson de Oliveira, who won a gold medal in the 2018 South American Games. The Cuban fighter bounced back with a shut-out performance in the semi-final round against Australian fighter Harry Garside. Cruz is going into the finals undoubtedly confident. He has never tasted defeat when fighting for a Gold medal. Also, he believably has to have the number of arch-rival Davis.
ACT 3: There can be only one
This fight has everything that is the making of a must-see event. It is a professional quality fight at the amateur level. Two prime, highly talented fighters will fight on the world’s biggest platform for bragging rights in the oldest rivalry in boxing: USA vs CUBA. Davis wants to end the drought for US men’s boxing by winning a Gold medal and get revenge in the process. Cruz wants to continue the Cuban winning ways, and join fellow teammates Julio Cesar La Cruz, Arlen Lopez, and Roniel Iglesias by capturing his first Olympic Gold medal.
The end of this saga between these two amazing fighters will conclude on Sunday, August 8 at the Kokugikhan arena in Tokyo, Japan.
By: Garrisson Bland
