WBA Lightweight Title Betting Preview: Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero

Betting advice for Saturday’s WBA (regular) lightweight title bout between the heavy favorite and champion Gervonta Davis against Rolando Romero.

On Saturday night in Brooklyn, up-and coming-star Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis will put his WBA (regular) lightweight title on the line against Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero.

This fight, originally scheduled for December 2021 but canceled due to sexual assault allegations against Romero (charges were not ultimately filed), will be a chance for Davis to further cement himself as a legitimate pound-for-pound contender.

Place Boxing Bets at SI Sportsbook

Brynn Anderson/AP

Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero

Date: Saturday, May 28, 2022
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Junior lightweight: Eduardo Ramirez vs. Luis Melendez
Junior middleweight: Jesus Ramos (-1205) vs. Luke Santamaria (+700)
WBA (regular) middleweight title: Erislandy Lara (-2000) vs. Gary O’Sullivan (+1100)
WBA (regular) lightweight title: Gervonta Davis (-1205) vs. Rolando Romero (+700)

These two fighters have made their disdain and hatred for each other evident, not only leading up to Saturday’s fight but for months on end now after their original bout was canceled. Romero has made it clear his plan is to come out swinging and apply constant pressure and score the upset knockout over Davis.

Tank is coming off the toughest fight of his career where he secured an unanimous decision against Isaac Cruz, who stepped in for Romero on a month’s notice. It was only the second time in Davis’ career where the fight went to the scorecards.

Cruz countered Tank’s power throughout the fight and kept it close throughout by constantly applying pressure. Davis did injure his left hand in the sixth round, which definitely gave Cruz a brief reprieve from Tank’s devastating southpaw power.

While anything can happen in the squared circle, Tank checks every box against Romero despite surrendering some size advantage. I expect Davis to feel out Romero in the early rounds and then look for his opening somewhere towards the middle of the fight after Romero will have probably punched himself out.

With Davis’ hand fully healed I don’t expect Romero to escape a finish. While Romero is the bigger fighter with a style similar to Cruz, he is extremely reckless and Davis should be able to find an opening to put him to sleep with the left uppercut or hook.

Romero is going night-night in this one and with SI Sportsbook offering almost 2.5-1 odds (+240) for the fight to end in Rounds 4-6, its too good to pass up.

BET: Gervonta Davis (-1205)

BEST BET: Gervonta Davis Rounds 4-6 (+240)

Check the Latest Odds at SI Sportsbook

Get fantasy and betting analysis in your inbox by signing up for the Winners Club newsletter

More Betting, Fantasy and Combat Sports:

NBA Eastern Conference Finals Betting Preview
NBA No. 1 Draft Pick Odds
Roundtable: Favorite NFL Over/Under
Five-Best NFL Games to Bet
Fantasy Football Top Breakout Candidates
Hard Knocks Tabs Cardinals: Fantasy, Betting Angles
Reinder de Ridder to face Vitaly Bigdash


Published
Doug Vazquez
DOUG VAZQUEZ

Doug Vazquez is a senior producer on the video team and has been with SI since 2019. Based in Las Vegas, Doug is a combat sports enthusiast and attends as many bouts as he can in the fight capital of the world.