Editor`s note: This article was written before Friday`s events, when Keyshawn Davis missed weight, leading to the cancellation of his Saturday fight against Edwin De Los Santos.
LAS VEGAS – WBO lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis vividly remembers a day during his youth in Norfolk, Virginia, when boxing icon Pernell `Sweet Pea` Whitaker visited a local recreational center for an event. Davis, then a preteen, was there to cheer for his older brother, Kelvin, who was competing. Keyshawn, Kelvin, and their younger brother Keon, known together as DB3 (Davis Brothers Three), harbored dreams of becoming world boxing champions and escaping the challenges of `The 757` area, which encompasses Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News. Making it out was tough due to issues like rising crime rates, persistent poverty, and limited affordable housing.
“It`s incredibly difficult to succeed here because we lack resources available in other cities,” Davis told ESPN. “An athlete wanting to break through from The 757 truly has to be exceptional.”
And on that particular day, one of the area`s legendary figures walked in.
“The moment [Whitaker] stepped through the door, he commanded everyone`s attention,” Keyshawn recalled while finalizing his training at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, preparing for his scheduled fight against Edwin De Los Santos in Norfolk.
Keyshawn was only two years old when Whitaker, a four-division world champion, had his final professional fight in 2001. Yet, he had grown up hearing the stories and watching enough videos to know all about `Sweet Pea` and considered him an idol. So, when the man widely regarded as boxing`s greatest defensive master sat down next to Keyshawn to watch Kelvin`s dominant performance, the dream of becoming a world champion felt suddenly within reach.
“He was watching my brother fight,” Keyshawn said, still expressing disbelief. “He was yelling, shouting instructions, and I could see he was genuinely invested. As a younger brother, seeing a boxing legend from our city support my older brother meant everything to me. I looked up to my big brother, and `Sweet Pea` was talking to him.”
“That was the day I understood we had it. We could truly fight, and we were going to make it happen.”
Whitaker continued to support the Davis brothers, spending time with them in the gym, offering advice, and teaching techniques before his death in 2019.
While Davis is the first world boxing champion from Norfolk since Whitaker, he follows in the footsteps of an extraordinary line of athletes from the region, including former NFL quarterback and current Norfolk State head football coach Michael Vick, NBA icon Allen Iverson, and the NFL`s all-time sack leader Bruce Smith, among others.
At Keyshawn`s fights, it`s common to see figures like Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander sitting ringside with Vick, Smith, and Iverson to support `The Businessman.` This collective backing by local legends for one of their own is typical in this community, fueled by a strong sense of regional pride.
“Support is part of our community`s foundation,” Alexander told ESPN. “This connection to legacy and identity isn`t always about blood ties; it`s about being part of the `757` fabric. We take that seriously. He belongs to us, and therefore receives unwavering support.”
The tradition of supporting local athletes runs deep. Vick shared that he grew up seeing Whitaker at the local Boys & Girls Club and once saw Smith at a Hampton University football game. These encounters fueled his own ambition. Now, like those before him, Vick makes it a priority to give back by supporting Davis.
“We have to be there for Keyshawn,” said Vick, who has followed Davis since his Olympic run. “He`s our champion. So, people like me, Bruce Smith, Mayor Alexander, and Allen Iverson must show up to demonstrate to the world how we back our own. Now, when he travels, people know he has this network of support. We`re going to make sure he`s okay.”
Davis spoke enthusiastically about a recent phone conversation with Iverson and Vick, where he listened as two athletes who fundamentally changed their sports offered guidance and encouragement to the young fighter.
“They were motivating me before my fight,” Davis said. “Can you imagine how incredible that feels?”
Vick stated that attending the fight at Scope Arena would be no different from any other Davis fight, confirming his plan to be ringside.
“We need to cherish these opportunities to watch him,” Vick remarked. “As a city, we should appreciate these moments because we might not see Keyshawn fight in Norfolk again. He`s so talented that his fights will likely eventually move to Las Vegas.”
Keyshawn still has a long journey to match the achievements of Whitaker, who won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics. However, at 26 years old, with an Olympic silver medal from the 2020 Tokyo Games, he is making significant progress.
Davis is the latest high-caliber talent to emerge from `The 757,` and given the unique character of the region and the dedication of its successful residents to the community, he is unlikely to be the last.
Bob Arum, Chairman of Top Rank, commented, “Keyshawn looked up to Pernell, admiring not only his skill in the ring but also his significance to the [Norfolk] community. Keyshawn has now inherited the mantle from the late, great `Sweet Pea` and is a beloved figure in Norfolk and the surrounding Seven Cities. Keyshawn is leveraging his influence to support the next generation of young people.”
With the Norfolk city council proclaiming June 2 through June 8 as `Keyshawn Davis Week` on Wednesday, Davis`s ambition to follow in his idol`s footsteps, both inside and outside the ring, is becoming a reality.
“I always told myself I would work within the city so that people know I represent the city and am dedicated to it,” Davis said. “I need the community`s support to take this as far as possible together.”
In addition to Hall of Fame athletes, the area has produced Grammy Award-winning musicians such as Pharrell, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and the late Ella Fitzgerald. Olympic gold medalist gymnast Gabby Douglas, NBA champion Alonzo Mourning, and comedians Wanda Sykes and Jay Pharoah also hail from the region.
“It`s a diverse mix of talent, and the `secret sauce` is the combination of ideas, belief, drive, and toughness,” Alexander said about the region`s rich pool of successful individuals. “What makes Norfolk and `the 757` special is that we don`t strive for perfection; we strive for consistency. Norfolk produces consistent talent. Some places have people who are prominent for a moment; we are part of a movement.”
This sense of movement is why accomplished individuals like Vick return home to contribute. Despite receiving a more lucrative coaching offer on the West Coast, Vick chose to take the job at Norfolk State in December, knowing where his true commitment lay.
“There was more money involved, but I passed all that up to come home,” said Vick, who founded The Vick Foundation nonprofit organization in 2006 to support at-risk youth with after-school programs in the Hampton Roads area. “Some might think that was a strange choice, but sometimes life isn`t just about money. We have people in our community who genuinely care about the youth and invest their time and effort into them.”
Giving back is a significant motivation for Davis as well, but his success in the boxing ring is the cornerstone of everything.
Davis, widely considered a future pound-for-pound fighter who trains alongside champions like Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson, possesses a style that blends Crawford`s aggressive offense with Stevenson`s refined technical skill. He has quickly built a strong fan base with his dominant and entertaining performances.
He secured his world champion status in February by defeating previously undefeated Ukrainian fighter Denys Berinchyk in just four rounds. He is already setting his sights on competing in higher weight classes (140, 147, and 154 pounds) and believes his best performances are still ahead.
“When my career is over, I want to be recognized as one of the greatest of all time,” stated Davis, who has expressed interest in challenging fighters like Gervonta `Tank` Davis and Teofimo Lopez. “Perhaps I`m not the biggest star right now, so many top fighters hesitate to take a chance on me. I already have the skills and ability, but once I reach a certain level of recognition, they won`t be able to avoid fighting me any longer.”
Davis has the potential to be a game-changer, much like those who came before him, but Vick emphasizes the importance of remaining aware of everything around him.
“It demands an immense amount of discipline,” said Vick, whose career was marked by legal challenges, including the 2007 dog fighting investigation that resulted in a 23-month prison sentence and an NFL suspension during the peak of his career. “People don`t fully grasp the daily sacrifices required for success. You can be doing everything right and jeopardize it all in just thirty seconds. And then that`s the only thing anyone will talk about. Fortunately, he has supportive people around him and demonstrates discipline. And I`ll be there to offer guidance whenever he needs it.”
Davis, who recently became a father, has substantial motivation tied to his success and remains dedicated to his goals.
“I promised myself I wouldn`t stumble,” Davis asserted. “There`s no undue pressure on me to succeed because success is the inherent mindset of `The 757.` That`s what Michael Vick embodied, what Allen Iverson embodied, what Pernell Whitaker embodied, and that`s what I carry. I will prove I am undeniable and represent my city with pride.”
Ellis Thorne 
Percy Harlow