Keyshawn Davis faces significant step up against Francesco Patera on July 22 in Oklahoma
Unbeaten American hopeful Keyshawn Davis will look to continue his rise through the lightweight ranks when he faces the biggest test of his career against former European champion Francesco Patera on July 22 at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
The contest will take place on the undercard of former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr’s comeback fight against Britains Maxi Hughes, and will be broadcast live on ESPN +.
Davis [8-0, 6 KO’s] won silver medals at the 2019 World Championship and 2020 Olympic Games as an amateur, and has been fighting as a professional since 2021. The 24 year old Virginia native has so far fulfilled the promise everyone expected of the former amateur standout when he transitioned to the paid game, and last time out, he totally outclassed and stopped former world title challenger Anthony Yigit in New Jersey back in April. Now, he must navigate another very tough step up against a man in Patera who is riding the wave of a lengthy winning streak himself.
Belgian Francesco Patera [28-3, 10 KO’s] turned professional in 2012. He is a two-time European champion, having won the EBU strap for the first time against Edis Tatli in 2017. He then lost the title in a rematch to Tatli that same year, before regaining it against Englands Lewis Ritson in 2018, handing the Newcastle native the first loss of his career. Patera has won his last ten outings, following up the impressive Ritson win with victories against Paul Hyland Jr and Devis Boschiero, and he now hopes to make it eleven in a row with what would be without a doubt the standout victory of his entire career, to derail the seemingly unstoppable momentum of Keyshawn Davis.
Also on the card
Giovanni Santillan (30-0, 16 KO) vs Erick Bone (27-6, 14 KO).
Mike Balogun (20-1, 16 KO) vs Hemi Ahio (20-1, 15 KO).
Roney Hines (12-0-1, 8 KO) vs Michael Pirotton (7-0, 3 KO).
Troy Isley (9-0, 4 KO) vs TBA.
Jeremiah Milton (9-0, 6 KO)vs TBA.