Meet one of first pro-boxers to make U.S. Olympic team

Jim Spellman

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American boxer Keyshawn Davis built an impressive record as an amateur and planned on going pro after fighting in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but then came COVID-19, throwing the Tokyo games into doubt.

"Once they postponed the Olympics, I needed to figure out if I wanted to stay and wait or if I just wanted to go pro," Davis said.

The 22-year-old lightweight was facing a difficult choice. Going pro meant probably giving up on the Olympics.

Professional boxers have been allowed in the games since 2016, when three pros fought, but the U.S. had not chosen any professionals for team USA.

By late 2020, it wasn’t clear if the Tokyo games would even happen. Meantime, Davis faced challenges at home - his mother had recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

In December, he made the decision to go pro, fighting, and winning, his first match as a professional in February.

As his pro career was getting going, plans were moving forward to hold the Tokyo games a year late. But it looked like Davis wouldn’t be on the team.

In addition to his professional status, he clashed with the U.S. team over missing training while helping his mother.

But after COVID cancelled a qualifying tournament in May, Team USA changed course announcing in early June that Davis and two other young professional boxers would be allowed to fight.

"I got the blessing to do something that no American fighter has done: going pro and then going back to the amateurs to fight in the Olympics," Davis said.

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