Bob Arum always appreciated Keyshawn Davis’ abilities.

That’s why Arum’s company committed to signing the unbeaten WBO lightweight champion after he won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics 3½ years ago in Tokyo. It wasn’t until after Davis labored his way to a 10-round, majority-decision victory over Nahir Albright in October 2023, however, that the Hall-of-Fame promoter was convinced Davis would reach his vast potential.

Davis (13-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC) changed his personal and professional habits once his close win against Albright was changed to a no-contest because he tested positive for marijuana. The Norfolk, Virginia native is 4-0 since then, including three knockouts, and won the WBO 135-pound championship by pummeling previously unbeaten Ukrainian Denys Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) on February 14 in The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The 26-year-old Davis will defend his WBO belt for the first time June 7 at Scope Arena in downtown Norfolk. He will face hard-hitting Dominican southpaw Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) in a 12-round main event ESPN will televise.

“I think it’s a really good fight,” Arum told The Ring before a press conference Friday in Norfolk. “The kid’s gonna keep getting tested. But, you know, in my estimation Keyshawn Davis is this generation’s Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s that good. And he fights the same type of style. In other words, he’s very, very quick, has very good defense, but also is an offensive fighter. You know, I’ve always been very high on Keyshawn. And this is another test for him.”

De Los Santos, of Reading, Pennsylvania, hasn’t boxed since he settled for a unanimous points loss to WBC lightweight champ Shakur Stevenson in November 2023. Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) and De Los Santos were widely criticized for an off-putting lack of entertainment in their 12-rounder at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Arum anticipates much more action when Davis faces De Los Santos because “The Businessman” understands better than most boxers that it is his responsibility to provide value for fans who figure to pack Scope Arena again. Davis drew a crowd of more than 10,000 for the first card he headlined there November 8, when he annihilated Argentinean contender Gustavo Lemos (29-2, 19 KOs).

Davis knocked out Lemos in the second round, one round earlier than he finished off Berinchyk three months later.

“He realizes that not only is boxing important, it’s entertainment,” Arum said. “And so, he’s become a much more entertaining fighter. He’s much more aggressive and he uses his defensive skills. But the offensive skills are what people love and what he uses to take out his opponents.”