Jose Pedraza is preparing to fight a former champion…
The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer and former two-weight world champion’s lightweight bout versus Keyshawn Davis has been rescheduled for February 8 in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN on Friday..
The bout will serve as the ESPN co-feature to Teofimo Lopez‘s junior welterweight title defense vs. Jamaine Ortiz.
Davis (10-0, 6 KOs) was set to meet Pedraza this past Saturday in South Florida before he was suspended 90 days by the Texas commission for a positive marijuana test following his October win over Nahir Albright.
The Olympic silver medalist from Norfolk, Va., was recently named ESPN‘s No. 3 fighter under 25 years old. Now, the 24-year-old will step up against a former champion for the first time as he looks to rise from prospect to contender.
Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) is a former two-division champion, though he’s winless in his last three bouts. All three fights took place at 140 pounds.
A draw with Richard Commey was sandwiched in between close decision losses to junior welterweight contenders Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza. Pedraza’s title reigns came at 130 and 135 pounds.
Pedraza last competed at 135 pounds in May 2019. Both of Pedraza’s title defeats came against the sport’s elite. He lost his 130-pound title via TKO to Gervonta Davis in 2017. The following year, Pedraza dropped his 135-pound title via decision to Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Davis is coming off the toughest fight of his career, a majority-decision victory over Albright. He’s trained by Brian McIntyre, who also guides Terence Crawford.