Prospect Ishmael Davis Starting to Breakthrough the Crowd at 154
Boxing has a history of giving people a sense of direction and setting fighters on a path of success and accomplishment. The latest who hopes to use The Sweet Science to fulfill his dreams in and out of the ring is junior middleweight prospect Ishmael “The Black Panther” Davis (13-0, 6 KOs).
FINDING HIS WAY
Life wasn’t easy for the man from Leeds, England. Unfortunately, he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. As a result, he was in constant trouble as a youth, spending more time in the streets than in his local boxing gym.
An admitted wild child, the trappings of street life caught up with him when he got in trouble with the law and served time in prison as a teenager. While in prison, Davis decided his life had to change and dedicated himself to boxing full-time.
But the man from Leeds was in a hurry to get things done. After only one amateur fight, Davis decided to turn pro in September 2018.
PICKING THINGS UP QUICKLY
Despite the limited amateur pedigree, The Black Panther has progressed nicely in the professional ranks. Former IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards has called Davis the best-kept secret in British boxing. That was evident in his eighth-round stoppage over Ewan McKenzie in November 2023. It was a breakthrough performance for Davis, a sign that he’s ready to step up the level of competition on the domestic scene.
In his most recent outing, on the March 23 undercard of Dalton Smith versus Jose Zepeda, Davis faced the tough and hard-hitting Troy Williamson. In the biggest test of his career, Davis was impressive in a twelve-round unanimous decision win.
The Black Panther is athletic and a switch-hitting boxer-puncher. He moves around the ring with ease. Despite his limited experience, he fights with poise. When Williamson started to apply pressure in the second half of the fight, Davis stayed disciplined and poised.
One thing that you notice from Davis is his timing. The 28-year-old is very good at pot-shotting opponents from distance and landing with precise punches at close-range.
With the win, Davis is in a position to fight for the British junior middleweight title. But up next for The Black Panther could be a battle with the current WBA Intercontinental junior middleweight champion, Coinhim Agrarko. Davis is a fighter to keep an eye on at 154.
