Bob Arum has made a bold statement about Keyshawn Davis, calling the unbeaten WBO Lightweight Champion “this generation’s Sugar Ray Leonard.”
Davis is set to defend his title next against Edwin De Los Santos as he continues his rapid rise through the lightweight ranks. The 13-0 fighter earned the belt with a knockout win over Denys Berinchyk. Keyshawn has already fought four times since the start of 2024—proving himself as one of boxing’s most active champions. Keyshawn has been linked to several high-profile future bouts, including a fight with Lamont Roach Jr.
Meanwhile, Leonard is considered one of the greatest boxers in history. As a five-division world champion, Leonard captured titles from welterweight to light heavyweight, cementing his legacy. He was also the first fighter in the sport to earn over $100 million. While that is a lot to live up to, Arum expects Keyshawn to fulfil his potential.
“I think it’s a really good fight. 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 defense, but also is an offensive fighter. You know, I’ve always been very high on Keyshawn. And this is another test for him.
“He realizes that not only is boxing important, it’s entertainmen. And so, he’s become a much more entertaining fighter. He’s much more aggressive and he uses his defensive skills. But the offensive skills are what people love and what he uses to take out his opponents,” Arum said
For Keyshawn to reach those levels, he will have to win titles in multiple weight divisions. He has spoken previously about wanting to fight at 140 pounds. There is the opportunity to face off against big names in that division, such as Teofimo Lopez. The Takeover holds the WBO Junior Welterweight Title. There are also other big fights available, such as against George Kambosos Jr., the former unified lightweight champion.
Equally, there is the IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Richardson Hitchins. Keyshawn has also stated that he might move up to 147. There are potential big fights available for him against the likes of Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, Jaron Ennis, Mario Barrios, and Brian Norman Jr., to name a few. While those are realistic names, it also depends on whether Keyshawn moves up and whether those fighters still remain there.
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When Junto Nakatani announced he would vacate his bantamweight titles to move up in weight and face Naoya Inoue next year, it left a sudden power vacuum in one of Japan’s most stacked boxing divisions. With his IBF and WBC belts now up for grabs, the stage has been set for a showdown between the country’s top contenders. Tenshin Nasukawa, ranked number one, and Takuma Inoue, ranked number two, are now in negotiations to fight for the vacant WBC championship, as well as the chance to become the face of Japanese boxing alongside Naoya Inoue. For Nasukawa in particular, this opportunity is the culmination of a long journey. The 27-year-old phenom made his name as one of (if not the) greatest kickboxers to ever compete in the sport. Watch his explosive highlight reel here: His lone professional loss came against none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 2018 exhibition boxing bout, which ended in the first round. Nasuakwa was still competing in kickboxing at the time, and, while technically not a loss on his boxing or professional records, the lopsided nature of the fight became a defining moment in his career. Watch their exhibition fight here: After ending his kickboxing career with a flawless 42-0 record, Nasukawa fully transitioned to professional boxing, where his reflexes, precision, and creativity carried over. Instead of letting the Mayweather loss haunt him, he used it as motivation to sharpen his skills and rebuild his confidence. Since switching over to boxing, Nasukawa has quickly climbed the rankings, amassing a 7-0 record and winning the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title in the process, all while establishing himself as a must-watch figure in Japan’s boxing scene. Across the ring, Takuma Inoue brings his own pedigree and hunger. As the younger brother of pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue, Takuma has long been regarded as one of Japan’s brightest prospects. He’s had to carve his identity under the shadow of his brother’s dominance, but his steady climb through the bantamweight ranks has proven his toughness and technical skill. Unlike Tenshin, Takuma has lost twice in his professional career, including his most recent outing against fellow countryman Seiya Tsutsumi, in which he failed to defend his WBA bantamweight title. Now, with a vacant world title on the line, Takuma has the chance to rebound from his loss and step into the spotlight in his own right if he wins against a superstar like Nasukawa. The WBC has ordered both fighters to enter negotiations, with a purse bid held on Oct. 21 if they are unable to reach an agreement. Nasukawa and Inoue are significant draws in their home country of Japan, and are expected to command major audiences domestically. The stakes surrounding Nakatani’s vacant belts only add more intensity to this matchup. In the bigger picture, this fight symbolizes the next chapter for Japanese boxing. Nakatani moving up in weight to fight Naoya Inoue may have created the opportunity, but it’s Tenshin Nasukawa and Takuma Inoue who will decide who seizes the division's throne.
The Green Bay Packers are reeling after they blew a 10-0 lead at the start of the fourth quarter on Sunday. The Packers allowed the Cleveland Browns to score 13 unanswered points to win 13-10 in front of 65,470 fans at Huntington Bank Field. Following the game, defensive end Micah Parsons had a crude response to the comeback. "Sometimes, just like today, you s--- the bed," Parsons said via ESPN. "That's just the reality of it. It happens to the best teams. Even the best Super Bowl champs make mistakes, and they pay for it early. You go back to the history of the champions and who've they've played and games they should've won. It's just that competitive. "It's that hard to win. It's hard as hell to win football games. When you win football games, it's a celebration. But when you lose, it sucks." What went wrong for the Packers in loss to Browns Parsons and the Packers had a couple of major blunders in the final minute that they want back. Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus had a blocked field goal attempt that allowed the Browns a chance to get in range for a game-winning field goal. Parsons was called for a neutral zone infraction on the first play of the Browns' drive, allowing Cleveland to start the series from the Green Bay 48-yard line with 21 seconds remaining. Parsons apologized for the penalty, calling it "unacceptable." The All-Pro finished with two tackles. Parsons has extra motivation for avenging the loss against the Browns. The Packers are set to travel to play his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 4.
The Houston Rockets were among the biggest winners of the NBA offseason, making aggressive moves to raise expectations. They re-signed Fred VanVleet on a two-year, $50 million contract, secured Kevin Durant in a blockbuster deal, and built around a core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. With a revamped roster, the Rockets have been labeled as serious contenders in the Western Conference. That optimism suffered a major setback Monday. Per Shams Charania of ESPN, VanVleet has suffered a torn ACL, a devastating injury that is expected to sideline him for most, if not all, of the 2025 season. The news immediately sparked questions about how Houston will replace VanVleet’s production and leadership — with NBA free agent Russell Westbrook entering the public conversation. Westbrook, who declined his $3.47 million player option with the Denver Nuggets, remains unsigned as training camp nears. A return to Houston, where he played in 2019-20, would be headline-worthy, particularly alongside Durant — who he starred with on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Rockets Have One Problem on Potential Russell Westbrook Signing All this being said, Houston's cap situation presents a roadblock. The Rockets are roughly $1.2 million from the first apron hard-cap, leaving little flexibility. They could apply for a disabled player exception, yet that doesn’t clear enough space to add a veteran minimum deal outright. "For those asking, the Rockets can't sign Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons, or anyone else since they are roughly $1.2M from the first apron hard-cap," Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints explained on X. "The Rockets can apply for a disabled player exception, but that doesn't change their financial restrictions." This is where the Rockets face a decision. Westbrook, who averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 75 games for the Nuggets last season, would be a great replacement for the injured VanVleet. He has familiarity with Durant, vocal leadership skills and remains productive at age 36. But the Rockets would have to disrupt their current roster via a cap-saving move in order to make this possible, which makes it a difficult decision. Aside from Houston making a cap-saving move, their best options are to wait for to sign a prorated minimum later in the year or turn inward. Rockets' Internal Options Amid Russell Westbrook Speculation This all likely means more minutes for Reed Sheppard and veteran Aaron Holiday. The Rockets cannot easily move recently signed players—Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Jeff Green, Josh Okogie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Steven Adams, or Clint Capela—until later in the season. Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in his lone season with the Rockets in 2019-20, helping lead them to the playoffs. His chemistry with Durant from their Oklahoma City days and his past stint in Houston make the possibility of a reunion intriguing. However, given the Rockets’ financial restrictions and roster commitments, his signing is unlikely in the short term. Houston appears more inclined to lean on its depth until cap conditions shift later in the season. For now, Westbrook remains available, but a return to Houston is something the Rockets would have to make a complicated decision on.
The Washington Commanders' defense needed to rebound against the Las Vegas Raiders after surprising a lot of people the week before, and they did just that. It wasn't perfect by any means, but the defense rallied behind impressive performances by some key contributors on Sunday. The team hit Ashton Jeanty in the backfield and put pressure on Geno Smith, and finished with five sacks as a team. One player, however, is off to an amazing start and leads the NFL in pressures. Dorance Armstrong's breakout season is loading Dorance Armstrong has been off to a hot start in his second season with the Commanders, and we all wanted him to do one thing: get to the quarterback. Through the first three games, Armstrong has three sacks, 18 pressures, and 11 hurries. His 18 pressures and 25% pressure rate actually lead the NFL right now. On Sunday, Armstrong finished with five tackles, one sack, two tackles for a loss, and a quarterback hit to help set the tone on defense. A second season with the Commanders after coming over with head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr from the Dallas Cowboys seems to be paying off massively. Dorance Armstrong Quick Facts This Season Dorance Armstrong is one of only seven players in the NFL this season to have a sack in all three games. Armstrong becomes the third player in franchise history to start the season with a sack in the first three games, joining only Preston Smith and Matt Ioannidis. First time in his career that he has had three straight games with a sack. He only played on limited snaps with the Cowboys as a rotational player, and came to the Commanders to be an every-down defensive end, and he's living up to the expectations. Last season, Armstrong finished with 51 pressures, 10 sacks, and 33 hurries, and he's on pace to clear that by a good margin if he can continue to dominate. The team needs youth to step up, and having a sure starter at an important position at only 28 years old will go a long way for the oldest team in the league. Not a one-trick pony Getting to the quarterback is obviously the flashy side of being a defensive end, but you can't be a liability in the run game like we saw last season. The run defense as a whole is playing much better than last year, and Armstrong is also off to his best start in the run game. Through three games, he has his highest PFF grade in run defense, and he's up to a 75 grade, which is vastly improved over his 41 grade in 2024. Landing a starting defensive end was one of the biggest storylines all offseason, but not enough people gave credit to Dorance Armstrong, who has stepped up massively, especially with Deatrich Wise out for the season on the other side of the line. The Commanders can rotate players on one side of the line, and it helps a lot knowing you have Armstrong holding it down and leading by example on the other side.
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