Bob Arum, the legendary boxing promoter, has picked out Keyshawn Davis as the Sugar Ray Leonard of our time. Arum's praise for Davis' skills and fighting style comes from his vast experience in the sport.
At 93 years old, Arum has seen it all in boxing. He's promoted some of the biggest names in the sport, including Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather Jr, and Oscar De La Hoya. Now, he's put Davis in the same league as these greats.
Davis, known as 'The Businessman', is the current WBO world lightweight champion. The 26-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia, has yet to lose a fight. He made a big splash on February 14 when he stopped Denys Berinchyk in the fourth round to win the WBO lightweight crown.
In a recent interview with The Ring Magazine, Arum couldn't hold back his excitement about Davis:
"The kid's gonna keep getting tested. But, you know, in my estimation Keyshawn Davis is this generation's Sugar Ray Leonard. He's that good. And he fights the same type of style. In other words, he's very, very quick, has very good defence, but also is an offensive fighter. You know, I've always been very high on Keyshawn."
That's high praise indeed. Sugar Ray Leonard was a boxing icon who won titles in five weight divisions. He grabbed Olympic gold in 1976 and had unforgettable fights against Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. Leonard's mix of skill and charisma made him one of the all-time greats.
Davis will get a chance to prove Arum right on June 7. He's set to face Edwin De Los Santos in a WBC lightweight title challenge. It's a big test for Davis, and Top Rank, Arum's promotion company, will be behind it.
Arum's Top Rank stable also includes other top fighters like Naoya Inoue and Tyson Fury. Inoue, nicknamed 'The Monster', is often called the best fighter on the planet right now. But it looks like Arum sees something special in Davis.
With Arum's track record of spotting talent, his words carry weight. If Davis can live up to the Sugar Ray Leonard comparison, we might be watching the rise of boxing's next superstar.
