GERVONTA ‘Tank’ Davis (30-0) is the kind of fighter that fans rush to watch in their thousands, regardless of who is standing opposite him when the bell rings. This time is no different, as he faces off against WBA super-featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr, 25-1-1 (10 KOs), in New York this Saturday.
The Barclays Centre in Brooklyn is the venue, with the contest taking place for Davis’ WBA lightweight world title over 12 rounds, not that ‘Tank’ is one to make use of the full fight length on many occasions. The fight was originally scheduled to take place on December 14th, but the date had to be changed due to the venue being used by the Houston Rockets.
Going into this clash, ‘Tank’ carries a scary 93 per cent stoppage rate over his 30 fights and 30 wins, with Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz the only man to take him the full championship distance.
Meanwhile, Lamont Roach Jr takes a different approach to the sweet science. Roach Jr is a more technical fighter, out of the orthodox stance, having campaigned almost entirely at the 130lbs limit.
It is fairly evident what Davis will bring to this fight. The same as he brings to every fight – explosive power. Having been likened in the past to a lightweight Mike Tyson, ‘Tank’ is a fighter known to produce huge knockout power with his legs alongside his hands. A technique that earned him a big stoppage against the skilful Frank Martin last time out. We are to expect a similar type performance again.
Roach Jr, meanwhile, is fighting in a competitive lightweight fight for the first time in his career against not just a divisional great but a pound-for-pound great in boxing.
It is not an overreaction to suggest a win over ‘Tank’ on Saturday would likely be one of the biggest upsets of the year. The chips are not stacked in the Maryland resident’s favour.
The fight, on paper, is a big mismatch that earned some critique when the first fight was announced. Some supporters even celebrated when the fight was falsely announced as cancelled by ‘Tank’ in late December.
After Shakur Stevenson’s comfortable KO win over Josh Padley to defend his WBC lightweight title in Riyadh last weekend, fight fans will be hoping that ‘Tank’ can come through this fight as comfortably as expected and a mega domestic clash between the two can be made. Otherwise, it will be another fight since Ryan Garcia, where there has been no expected test or challenge for the lightweight champ.
Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Jr – Fight Prediction
Stepping up in weight without a ‘warm up’ fight is a challenging prospect for anyone to pull off, and then when you make that step up against the person who, in many people’s eyes, is the best in the division, and the biggest hitter at that, it looks like one step too far. And I think ‘Tank’ Davis will be, at minimum, one or two steps too good for Roach Jr.
Therefore, I see a KO victory for the champion, Gervonta Davis, in the middle rounds. As with Frank Martin, we might see Roach Jr win a few early rounds, but all it will take is one shot. I think Tank will find it halfway through the main event.
