NEWARK, New Jersey – Keyshawn Davis can’t wait until he gets a chance to headline a card in his own hometown of Norfolk, Virginia.
The elite lightweight prospect still relished the opportunity Friday night to entertain fans in the hometown of another fighter, Shakur Stevenson, who Davis considers family. Davis dismantled Mexico’s Omar Tienda, whom Davis stopped in the fifth round of a scheduled eight-round bout in the co-feature before Stevenson boxed Robson Conceicao in the main event at the Prudential Center.
Davis floored Tienda with about 1:45 left in the fifth round. Tienda got to his feet, but referee Earl Brown stepped between them soon after as Davis drilled Tienda with several flush shots.
The official time of the stoppage was 1:38 of the fifth round. His junior welterweight bout was scheduled for eight rounds.
Davis, 23, 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 the second time in 31 professional fights and for the first time in 9 1/2 years.
A quick right counter by Davis sent Tienda to the canvas at 1:15 of the fifth round. An opportunistic Davis took advantage of once Tienda was on his feet by unleashing a barrage of power shots that caused Brown to stop the action while Teinda took shots while on the ropes.
Tienda bad-mouthed Davis early in the fourth round and challenged Davis to come forward. Davis complied and landed heavy head and body shots on Tienda.
Tienda pushed Davis to the canvas, prompting a warning from Brown with a minute left in the fourth round.
Tienda outboxed Davis in the first half of the third round, but Davis made him pay by nailing his body and landing occasional shots to the head.
Davis unloaded a combination to Tienda’s head and body early in the second round. His speed and accuracy allowed him to overtake Tienda during the second lap.
A jab from Tienda pushed Davis back against the ropes with just under a minute remaining in the first round. Davis drilled Tienda with a left hand to the body with about 15 seconds left 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 the head.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
