NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Not many people know what it takes to be an athlete at the highest level better than Bruce Smith. The NFL Hall of Famer represents the best the 757 has to offer and was on hand to support a star from the next generation Thursday.
Smith attended the weigh ins ahead of Friday's boxing showdowns at Scope Arena, featuring Norfolk's Davis brothers, collectively known as DB3. The former Virginia Tech and Buffalo Bills star took the stage with Keyshawn Davis during his portion of festivities.
Boxing was always something Smith enjoyed, but it has not felt the same since the passing of Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, somebody Smith called a "dear and beloved friend and brother."
"After his untimely passing, I've stayed away from boxing and I just didn't have that joy in it that was once there during our long, long relationship," Smith said Thursday. "Now, 30 years later, we have a champ in Keyshawn that's following in the footsteps of the late, great Hall of Famer Pernell Whitaker and it's incumbent upon all of us from the 757 to come out and support this young men."
Now Smith is sharing in the excitement. More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for the first big bout in the Mermaid City since Whitaker fought at Scope in October of 1994. He was a mentor to the Davises, who now carry the torch and bring boxing back to Norfolk.
"It's huge," Smith smiled. "This man could fight anywhere in the country, but he's here in his hometown and that's what Pea did. Sweet Pea made sure that the fans here, his home where he grew up right around the corner, had an opportunity to see him live and on national TV, so this is a great time in history once again for the city of Norfolk and we've got to do our part and make sure we come out and support this young man."
While the NFL's all-time sack leader is one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of Hampton Roads, he's enjoyed watching others follow in his footsteps. Smith noted that when he speaks with fellow members of the Hall of Fame, the high volume of talent to come out of the 757 is a topic of discussion. It's a region that makes him proud.
"We are heads above other cities and locales when it comes to producing talent and athletes," Smith pointed out. "There is something about the 757 that just keeps churning them out and I couldn't be more happy to be a resident of this area and obviously be here tomorrow night to support Keyshawn."
Keyshawn Davis will hit the ring for the main event Friday night between 10:00 and 11:00, according to Top Rank. He'll meet Gustavo Lemos, who missed his weight by quite a bit Thursday. With a maximum weight of 135 lbs set for the bout, Lemos weighed in at 141.4 lbs. Despite that, Friday's fight will proceed as planned. Davis hit the target weight, checking in at 134.2 lbs.
Kelvin Davis will take on Yeis Solano in an eight-round welterweight fight around 8:30 PM, with Keon Davis making his professional debut against Jalen Moore at approximately 7:30 PM.
