The present will go on even with out its lone main title struggle.
The Ring has confirmed that Brian Norman Jr. will now not seem on the Nov. 8 ESPN present at The Scope Aren in Norfolk, Virginia. A hand harm suffered throughout coaching camp pressured the unbeaten WBO welterweight titlist out of a protection versus Derrieck Cuevas.
Norman-Cuevas was because of co-headline the present. Combat Freaks Unite’s Dan Rafael first reported that the bout might be rescheduled for the primary quarter of 2025.
The remainder of the occasion—which The Ring has realized has bought out all of its first-run tickets—will transfer ahead. Domestically-based Keyshawn Davis (11-0, 7 knockouts) will face Argentina’s Gustavo Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round light-weight bout. It’s the first hometown affair for the 2020 Olympic Silver medalist and The Ring’s No. 7-rated light-weight.
Norman (26-0, 20 KOs), The Ring’s No. 5-rated welterweight, was just lately upgraded to full WBO titleholder. He received an interim model of the belt in a Might 18 tenth-round knockout of Giovani Santillan.
There have been well-publicized talks between Norman and IBF titlist Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs). It comes throughout extra as posturing, although Ennis was in want of a greater opponent. The Ring’s No. 1-rated welterweight was ordered to face necessary challenger Karen Chukhadzhian in an pointless rematch to his Jan. 2023 shutout win.
Norman held out for as a lot as his workforce thought the unbeaten Georgia native was value. When Ennis and Matchroom Boxing couldn’t hit that determine, Norman moved onto the hen already in hand—a slot on Davis’ undercard.
He’ll now have to attend for his first title protection. The forthcoming rescheduled affair may also mark Cuevas’ first profession title struggle.
Prime Rank officers weren’t able to touch upon the event for the reason that information is just not (but) official. Nevertheless, The Ring has realized that the doubtless candidate for a brand new co-feature will come from throughout the scheduled lineup, offered the correct improve can happen within the coming days.
Davis goals to revive the Norfolk boxing custom as soon as established by the late Corridor of Fame nice Pernell Whitaker throughout the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties.
Whitaker performed the Scope Area ten instances, together with a revenge-fueled Aug. 1989 win over Jose Luis Ramirez to avenge his controversial first profession defeat. His ultimate struggle there was a repeat win over James ‘Buddy’ McGirt to defend his lineal and WBC welterweight championship in Oct. 1994.
Corridor of Fame former Ring/lineal heavyweight champion Larry Holmes had the ultimate struggle of his legendary profession at Scope Area. It got here in a July 2002 resolution win over Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch.
Davis was dominant in a ten-round, unanimous resolution over Miguel Madueno (31-3, 28 KOs) on July 6 in Newark, New Jersey. The Ring’s No. 7-rated light-weight served in supporting capability to longtime buddy and three-division titlist Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs).
5 months prior, he battered pale former two-division titlist Jose Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs). That bout passed off on Prime Rank’s pre-Tremendous Bowl card in Las Vegas.
‘The Businessman’ now instructions the highest spot as he makes his run in direction of a light-weight title.
He’ll endure his hardest take a look at so far, a minimum of on paper.
Argentina’s Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs) was unfortunate to have suffered his lone defeat in his most up-to-date struggle.
The 28-year-old from Argentina offered matches for Brooklyn’s Richardson Hitchins, who claimed an unpopular resolution of their April 6 DAZN foremost occasion in Las Vegas. Most viewers and people in attendance felt Lemos deserved the nod of their IBF 140-pound title eliminator.
Lemos will struggle stateside for the second straight time. His proposed bout versus Davis will mark a return to light-weight.
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