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Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
Keyshawn Davis needed just two rounds to dismantle Gustavo Lemos on Friday evening in Norfolk, Virginia, in a homecoming fight before an announced attendance of 10,568.
Davis (12-0, 8 KOs) forced the referee to halt the contest at 1:08 of Round 2 as Lemos crashed to the mat for the third time in that round. Davis, 25, initially floored Lemos with a short right hand. A left hook placed Lemos, 28, back on the canvas moments later. A left hook body shot started the finishing sequence, which Davis punctuated with a brutal right uppercut.
The fight was set to be contested at 135 pounds, and while Davis weighed under the limit Thursday, Lemos was 6.4 pounds over the limit. The fight proceeded anyway after Lemos tipped the scales at 144.6 at the second-day weigh-in. Despite the weight advantage, Lemos (29-2, 19 KOs) was never competitive. And Davis said he “had no hesitation” about proceeding with the bout.
“I didn’t know that right hand would put him down, but I did hit him flush right on the chin,” Davis said regarding the first knockdown. “Next thing I know I see him getting off the canvas. … A world title definitely will be next. 2025, we got big, big plans.”
Davis’ first title shot could come against Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk, who upset Emanuel Navarrete in May to win the WBO lightweight title. Davis is an Olympic silver medalist rated No. 6 by ESPN at lightweight.
Lemos, who is from Buenos Aires, has lost two consecutive fights. He’s coming off a disputed decision loss to Richardson Hitchins in April. That bout was contested at 140 pounds.