NEWARK, New Jersey – Keyshawn Davis cannot wait until he gets the opportunity to headline a card in his own hometown of Norfolk, Virginia.
The elite lightweight prospect still relished the opportunity Friday night to entertain the fans in the hometown of another fighter, Shakur Stevenson, that Davis considers family. Davis dismantled Mexico’s Omar Tienda, whom Davis stopped in the fifth round of a scheduled eight-rounder in the co-feature before Stevenson boxed Robson Conceicao in the main event at Prudential Center.
Davis dropped Tienda with approximately 1:45 to go in the fifth round. Tienda reached his feet, but referee Earl Brown stepped between them soon thereafter because Davis drilled Tienda with several flush punches.
The official time of the stoppage was 1:38 of the fifth round. Their junior welterweight bout was scheduled for eight rounds.
The 23-year-old Davis, a 2021 Olympic silver medalist, improved to 6-0 and recorded his fifth knockout as a pro. Tienda (25-6, 18 KOs) was stopped for just the second time in 31 professional fights and for the first time in 9½ years.
A quick counter right hand by Davis sent Tienda to the canvas 1:15 into the fifth round. An opportunistic Davis capitalized once Tienda reached his feet by unleashing a barrage of power punches that made Brown halt the action as Teinda took punches while backed into the ropes.
Tienda talked trash to Davis early in the fourth round and challenged Davis to come forward. Davis obliged and unloaded hard head and body shots on Tienda.
Tienda pushed Davis to the canvas, which drew a warning from Brown with a minute to go in the fourth round.
Tienda crowded Davis in the first half of the third round, but Davis made him pay by digging to his body and landing occasional head shots.
Davis unloaded a combination to Tienda’s head and body early in the second round. His speed and precision enabled him to out-land Tienda throughout the second round
A jab by Tienda backed Davis into the ropes with just under a minute remaining in the opening round. Davis drilled Tienda with a left to his body with about 15 seconds to go in the first round.
Tienda fell to the canvas just before the first round ended, but Brown didn’t call it a knockdown. Tienda complained that Davis hit him behind his head.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
