Keyshawn Davis’ development was such a seamless process in 2022 that his handlers have to be mindful of how aggressively they match him next year.
The 23-year-old Davis believes, just seven fights into his professional career, that he is ready to fight any lightweight in boxing. The Norfolk, Virginia native will be moved more moderately than that in 2023, yet the intelligent, skillful prospect proved December 10 that he is ready for more imposing opponents.
Decision-makers for Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. expected durable Mexican veteran Juan Carlos Burgos to provide Davis (7-0, 5 KOs) with some problems in their eight-rounder two weeks ago. A well-prepared Davis negated Burgos’ pressure almost immediately, however, with his hand speed, power and footwork, which enabled Davis to record a shutout on all three scorecards in a bout ESPN aired from Madison Square Garden in New York.
The ambitious Davis, BoxingScene.com’s “Prospect of the Year” for 2022, hopes his dominance of Burgos, who hasn’t been knocked out in 45 pro bouts, doesn’t dissuade contenders rated in the top 15 from facing him.
“You know, they not gonna go from a 18-1 opponent to like a world champion,” Davis said. “You know what I’m saying? They put a guy in there that they felt like probably could possibly give me some challenges. You know, and they probably really thought that he was gonna give me some challenges. I thought that he was gonna give me some challenges. You know, but it just shows, you know, like how great I can be.”
Before he beat Burgos (35-7-3, 21 KOs), Davis defeated Mexicans Esteban Sanchez (18-3, 8 KOs) by sixth-round technical knockout April 30 in Las Vegas and Omar Tienda (25-6, 18 KOs) by fifth-round stoppage September 23 in Newark, New Jersey in his first two fights of 2022.
“Now, what we have to say in the office is, ‘Fine, get a guy that brings pressure to him. He knows how to handle pressure,’ ” said Carl Moretti, Top Rank’s vice president of boxing operations. “Maybe the next fight is against a tall southpaw or a short southpaw that runs a little bit, or something like that. … But we have to hold ourselves back a little bit, even though he doesn’t want to, because he is still 7-0. This isn’t a sprint – it’s a marathon. He is a mature 7-0, but you know, it’s not like we’re really running from anybody in the division, either.”
LAST YEAR’S WINNER: Jared Anderson (now 13-0, 13 KOs).
RUNNERS-UP (listed alphabetically)
Diego Pacheco (17-0, 14 KOs)
Matchroom Boxing
This 21-year-old super middleweight knocked out each of the four foes he faced in 2022, none of whom lasted beyond the fifth round. The tall, powerful Pacheco figures to take up a step up in opposition in 2023 as the Los Angeles native makes the transition from prospect to contender in the 168-pound division.
Hamzah Sheeraz (17-0, 13 KOs)
Queensberry Promotions
One of the most promising prospects in the United Kingdom, this 23-year-old middleweight went 3-0 in 2022. The London resident knocked out Jez Smith in the second round, overcame a third-round knockdown to drop Francisco Torres three times on his way to a fifth-round stoppage and stopped Wilson River-Bent in the second round. Sheeraz has won 11 straight bouts by knockout or technical knockout.
Joey Spencer (16-0, 9 KOs)
Premier Boxing Champions
This 22-year-old Michigan native fought just twice in 2022 after competing on Christmas night in 2021, but he demonstrated marked improvement in his two unanimous-decision wins this year. Spencer, a junior middleweight, was particularly sharp both offensively and defensively during his unanimous 10-round points victory over previously unbeaten Mexican Kevin Salgado (then 14-0-1) on September 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Austin Williams (13-0, 9 KOs)
Matchroom Boxing
This Milwaukee native was active this year. He won four fights in less than a 10-month span, the first two by technical knockout and the last two, both 10-rounders, by unanimous decision. The 26-year-old Williams’ first-round stoppage of previously undefeated Chordale Booker (then 17-0) was especially impressive on the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano undercard April 30 at Madison Square Garden.
Xander Zayas (15-0, 10 KOs)
Top Rank Inc.
This poised Puerto Rican junior middleweight is already ranked seventh by the WBO and ninth by the WBO, but he has yet to be scheduled for 10 rounds. Zayas, who is still just 20 years old, went the distance in two of his three fights in 2022. He displayed discipline, diverse offensive skills and overall improvement during his relatively easy eight-round points victories over Quincy LaVallais and Alexis Salazar, though.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
