PEARL, Miss. (WLBT) – Undefeated Pearl boxer Kashaun “Big Baby” Davis has signed with Zuffa Boxing, putting a Mississippi fighter on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
The Pearl Boxing Club fighter is unbeaten as a professional and joins the sport’s newest and fast-growing promotion. Launched by TKO Group Holdings and Saudi Arabia’s Sela Sport, Zuffa is trying to do for boxing what the UFC did for mixed martial arts. Dana White leads it, along with Saudi entertainment chairman Turki Al-Sheikh, and now, a fighter from Pearl is on their roster.
“It’s about time… now I’m gonna have the eyes on me… I can go out there and showcase my talent,” Davis said. “Man from Mississippi, it’s hard to showcase your talent.”
From football to the ring
Davis didn’t grow up dreaming of boxing. He walked into Pearl Boxing Club at 12 years old just trying to get in shape for football.
“I came into it just to get in shape… and eventually I just stuck with it… boxing found me. I didn’t find boxing,” Davis said.
The gym where it all started wasn’t state of the art. Coach “Bombay” Deshone Higginbottom built it from the ground up inside an old high school locker room.
“They gave us the old Pearl High School locker room… and you see, we done made it into where we is… boxing is like life, man. You’re gonna have adversity all the time,” Higginbottom said.
Davis took that lesson into the amateur ranks and dominated. He stacked championships before turning pro. Since then, he hasn’t lost. His record stands at 11-and-0. Eleven knockouts. Six of them in the first round.
To sharpen his skills, Davis has sparred with former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder.
“That’s the only way you get better… spar guys on that level… that’s how you get to that level,” Davis said.
Opening doors
Higginbottom said the Zuffa deal is bigger than one fighter. He believes it opens a door for every young boxer in Mississippi watching from the sidelines.
“If Kashaun ‘Big Baby’ Davis can do it — I could do it… and we got a place in Pearl, Mississippi… this is the place you can come and get it done at,” Higginbottom said.
For Davis, the goal has never changed.
“Expect greatness… expect me to put Mississippi on the map… and try to pave the way for others to do the same,” Davis said.
Davis’ first fight under the Zuffa banner is expected this summer.
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