Gervonta 'Tank' Davis Is Set to Return to the Ring in December Clash Against Lamont Roach

Roach Faces Tough Challenge Moving Up in Weight Against Undefeated Lightweight Star

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis set to face Lamont Roach Jr . / OPBF Boxing News on Facebook.

By Moses Ochieng

The WBA has granted Lamont Roach Jr. permission to move up to 135 pounds and challenge Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis on the 14th of December. Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) has become one of boxing’s biggest stars, known for his exceptional talent, ring intelligence, and fight-altering power.

Due to his dominance, the WBA permits Davis to handpick opponents from the super featherweight division to defend his lightweight title. This practice is seen as unfair to the 135-pound contenders, as it allows Davis to extend his reign by selectively facing weaker opponents from a lower weight class, undermining the competitive integrity of the sport.

When multiple outlets reported the news of the Davis-Roach clash, it sparked quite a negative response from boxing fans around the world. They wanted to see Davis go beyond the second tier and test his talent against the other top names at 135. Roach’s legitimacy as a fighter and challenger to Davis is still in question.

A fan commented on X that he will not watch he fight and Gervonta had something to say back! “With that being said, now shut f*** up. Get back to what you were doing,” responded Gervonta Davis.

The main concerns with this matchup stem from Lamont Roach’s lack of recognition, his smaller size, and his unproven knockout power. Moving up in weight is already a tough challenge for any fighter, but Roach faces an even greater hurdle against one of the hardest punchers in the lightweight division.

Gervonta Davis, with a record of 30-0 and 28 KOs, dominated his last opponent, Frank Martin, in June, using his speed and power to overwhelm Martin in the middle rounds before delivering a devastating knockout. Compounding Roach’s difficulties is the fact that he has yet to show knockout potential in the lower weight classes.

Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) has bounced back with six consecutive wins since his only career loss, a decision defeat to Jamel Herring in 2019. His most notable victory came last November when he edged out Hector Garcia by split decision to claim a world title. Interestingly, Garcia was previously stopped by Gervonta Davis in the ninth round in January 2023 at lightweight, about 10 months before losing to Roach.

While Roach has shown noticeable improvement, it’s difficult to imagine him posing a significant threat to Davis. However, the fight is feasible and could take place either in Davis’ hometown of Baltimore or more likely in Washington D.C., where Davis headlined for his fight against Hector Garcia. Despite Roach being from D.C., the bout is expected to be a box office success.