Keyshawn Davis continues to live up to the hype.
The U.S. lightweight, who was considered a gold medal threat going into the Olympics, defeated Hovhannes Bachkov of Armenia by a unanimous decision in the semifinals early Friday ET in the U.S. to reach the championship match early Sunday ET.
Davis will face Cuban Andy Cruz, who shut out Harry Garside of Australia immediately after Davis’ victory over Bachkov.
Davis, a 3-0 pro from Norfolk, Virgina, used constant movement and quick, eye-catching combinations (as well as holding when he it behooved him) to frustrate Bachkov for most of their fight. The Armenian spent much of the first round chasing his elusive opponent and rarely catching him.
Bachkov’s pressure paid some dividends in the second and third rounds, as he bulled his way inside and landed some clean shots. However, Davis, the much quicker and slicker of the two, continued to do a good job of playing the matador and scoring with fast, hard shots that caught the judges’ eyes.
Davis was confident that he had won after the final bell sounded. He had a wide grin on his face as he and Bachkov awaited the announcement of the victor. And Davis was right. Moments later he had his hand raised, signifying a trip to the gold medal match.
“One more to go,” the 22-year-old said as he left the ring.
Davis should have his hands full in the final. Cruz, 25, won back-to-back gold medals at light welterweight in the 2017 and 2019 World Amateur Championships.
U.S. super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. of Tulare, Calif., will face No. 1-seeded Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the gold medal match early Sunday ET.
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