Keyshawn Davis Led Victorious Americans Sunday In Japan

It was a good start for the American men in the year delayed 2020 Summer Olympics boxing competition in Japan Sunday. And, arguably the USA’s best hope for male boxing Gold, touted Lightweight Keyshawn Davis, led the way with a dominant performance in an easy decision win.

Davis took apart Enrico La Cruz of the Netherlands with an effective jab and superior hand speed on his way to 5-0 unanimous decision win in his first “round of 32” fight.

Welcome to the #OlympicGames @KeyshawnDavis8 🥊

Dominating performance to start the day for @TeamUSA #Tokyo2020 x #Boxing pic.twitter.com/4ut3TwLWAq

— USA Boxing (@USABoxing) July 25, 2021

The Norfolk, VA native Davis is favored to advance to the medal round of the competition and is believed to have the best shot at U.S. Gold, since American Andre Ward took one at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

As we wrote last week, the 22 year old Davis had already turned pro earlier this year, while the 2020 Olympics were in limbo of happening or not due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Davis had won all three of his fights impressively, the last coming as a six round decision on the Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders undercard in Texas in May.

The International Olympic Committee’s Boxing Federation made a ruling earlier this year that amateur fighters like Davis, and others worldwide who had only recently turned pro while waiting for the Olympics to proceed or not, could compete this time. So, Davis, who was previously 2nd at the World Championships in 2019, eagerly went back into training in recent weeks with USA Boxing.

Also early Sunday morning U.S. time, 23 year old Featherweight Duke Ragan of Lima, OH, was also victorious in his opening fight. Ragan, who like Davis had turned pro with Top Rank Boxing last year and amassed four victories already, had won a closer 3-2 decision on Saturday in Japan over Samuel Kistohurry.

Ragan is also a former Silver Medalist, as a Bantamweight previously in the World Championships.

Finally, Cleveland’s Delante “Tiger” Johnson rallied in the third and final round to edge Brian Arregui of Argentina 3-2, in his Welterweight “round of 32” opening bout. Johnson, who suffered a knock down in the second round, came back strong in the third for the win Saturday evening in Japan.

The round of 16 fights for all three Americans will be later this week.