Keyshawn Davis and Brian Norman could be in line for doubleheader

Despite speculation that lightweight contender Keyshawn Davis will return to the ring in November, there is still work to do before that date is finalized.

ESPN has reported that the gifted 25-year-old Davis (11-0, 7 KOs), might fight Gustavo Lemos of Argentina (29-1, 19 KOs) on November 8 in a homecoming for Davis at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. But a Top Rank official explained: “The whole situation is fluid and it’s being worked on.” 

“It’s not [nailed down]. It’s more like there are other scenarios involved with the show, clearing the date for television, clearing the date for the building, stuff that really matters that has not been figured out yet,” the Top Rank official said.

They added that it was likely that Brian Norman Jr., 26-0 (20 KOs), would make the first defense of his WBO welterweight title as a co-feature when the bill is eventually set, and Norman’s promoters are currently looking at potential opponents ranked by the WBO for the fight.

This news about Norman comes in the same week that the welterweight and his team strongly pushed back on claims that they turned down a unification bout with Jaron “Boots” Ennis. Those claims came from Ennis himself in a recent interview the IBF titleholder did with YSM Sports Media.

 “Offer was sent two days ago,” Ennis said. “Somebody sent me something. […] He said he would fight me at home, too. We sent [an] offer two days ago. [They] turned it down.”

 Norman Jr. said that’s absolutely not the case.

 “I ain’t turn a damn thing down,” the WBO titleholder posted on X.

 Jolene Mizzone, who co-manages Norman, also said Ennis’ claim is “not true.”

 And Brian Norman Sr., who trains his son, responded in detail on Instagram.

 “WE SAID YES TO THE FIGHT!!” Norman Sr. wrote, tagging Boots Ennis on the post. “We simply made a counter offer. In fact, I called your pops, Bozy Ennis, and TOLD HIM after we accepted. He didn't know about it. We have PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE THIS FIGHT HAPPEN NEXT!!!”

 Norman Jr. and Boots Ennis were both elevated to full titleholders after Terence Crawford vacated them, with the former undisputed welterweight champion now campaigning at 154. 

 Norman won the interim WBO belt in May with a 10th-round stoppage of Giovani Santillan, bringing the 23-year-old Georgian to 26-0 (20 KOs).

 Ennis won the IBF belt in January 2023 with a shutout of Karen Chukhadzhian. Ennis made his first defense as the full titleholder in July, when he took out late replacement David Avanesyan in five rounds. The 27-year-old from Philadelphia is 32-0 (29 KOs).

Ennis has been ordered by the IBF to have a rematch with Chukhadzhian, who the sanctioning body has named its mandatory challenger. It’s possible that the IBF could make an exception for a unification bout.