By Keith Idec
December 10, 2022
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
NEW YORK – Keyshawn Davis didn’t deliver the knockout he hoped to produce Saturday night, but the elite lightweight prospect battered durable, brave veteran Juan Carlos Burgos throughout their eight-round bout.
The undefeated Davis’ hand speed, combinations and power were too much for Burgos to overcome during a one-sided encounter ESPN televised as the opener of a four-fight telecast from Madison Square Garden. Judges Tom Carusone, Eric Marlinski and Robert Perez each scored it a shutout for Davis, 80-72 apiece.
The 23-year-old Davis, a 2021 Olympic silver medalist from Norfolk, Virginia, went the distance for the second time and eight rounds for the first time in his brief pro career (7-0, 5 KOs). The 34-year-old Burgos (35-7-3, 21 KOs), who fought for world titles three times, has never been knocked out during his 18-year, 45-fight professional career. Saturday night marked the 18-year anniversary of Burgos’ pro debut. Davis was 5 years old at that time.
“He was definitely a tough veteran,” Davis told ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna in the ring following his victory. “I was definitely trying to stop him in there. I had him hurt a lot of times, but he a veteran, he know how to survive and that’s what he did tonight. … I wanna give myself a A [grade], but I ain’t stop him. I give myself a B-plus.”
Davis tried right through the eighth and final round to produce a knockout that he told BoxingScene.com recently would enable him to make the type of statement he sought Saturday night. He landed an array of power punches on a backtracking Burgos in those final three minutes, but Burgos remained on his feet until the final bell.
Davis smiled and respectfully hugged Burgos after the bell sounded to end the eighth round.
Burgos’ toughness was especially evident just after the halfway point of the seventh round. Davis nailed him with a variety of power punches while Burgos was backed into a neutral corner, but Burgos took those shots and fired back just enough to get Davis’ attention. Willis warned Burgos for a low blow 1:05 into the seventh round. Burgos promptly complained that Davis pushed him down by his head.
Davis opened up on Burgos during the middle minute of the sixth round. He hammered Burgos with flush punches up top, but Burgos withstood those shots and made it to the seventh round.
Burgos grew bolder during the fifth round after mostly moving away from Davis during each of the first four rounds. Davis eventually made him pay, though, particularly toward the end of that round, when he blasted Burgos with a right hand that knocked him off balance.
Burgos threw occasional punches to keep Davis honest in the fourth round, but nothing that prevented Davis from pressing forward and unloading hard head and body punches during those three minutes.
A left uppercut by Davis knocked Burgos into the ropes with 35 seconds to go in the fourth round. Davis quickly followed up with a right hand to the side of Burgos’ head. Davis drilled Burgos with a right to his head and then a right to his body with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the third round. Davis blasted Burgos with back-to-back right hands that knocked Burgos back into a neutral corner about 1:10 into the third round. Davis connected with a right hand that backed up Burgos with just over 20 seconds to go in the second round.
Davis finished a combination with a left to Burgos’ body with just under 1:15 on the clock in the second round. Davis landed a short right hand on the inside barely a minute into the second round.
Burgos kept his distance from Davis throughout the first round, when the veteran appeared wary of Davis’ power.
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