Tensions Rise as Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis And Lamont Roach Exchange Heated Words on Social Media

Davis Looks to Preserve His Undefeated Record, While Roach Aims to Upset the Champion In A High-Stakes Lightweight Battle At The Toyota Centre

Gervonta Davis set to defend his title on December 14 / Al Bello/Getty Images.

By Moses Ochieng

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis is set to defend his lightweight title against Lamont Roach on December 14 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The fight will be broadcast on PBC via Amazon Prime Video. Following the announcement of the bout, Roach and Davis exchanged heated words on X, sparking a back-and-forth that even drew fans into the conversation.

Baltimore's Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), ranked ESPN's No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer, has earned the privilege from the WBA to handpick opponents from the super featherweight division to defend his lightweight title, due to his dominance in the ring. Lamont Roach has been granted permission to move up in weight to challenge Davis for the title.

To many boxing fans, this seems like another one of Tank’s moves to select a weaker opponent to secure an easy win and preserve his perfect record. Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), however, is on a six-fight winning streak since his only career loss, a decision defeat to Jamel Herring in 2019. His most notable victory came last November when he narrowly defeated Hector Garcia by split decision to claim a world title. Roach could prove to be a formidable opponent, and not one Davis can easily walk over.

The 29-year-old Roach took to X to tell Davis that he’s not like the usual fighters Davis is accustomed to facing. "You must think I’m one of them regular niggas u fought or sum.. Lol cut it out meezy, " expressed Lamont Roach.

Gervonta Davis, also 29, wasted no time in responding. "I advise you not to talk so much... it can be bad for you. You know that already tho, YO," Tank replied. While Roach has shown noticeable improvement, it's hard to envision him posing a serious threat to Davis. In his last fight, Davis dominated Frank Martin in June, using his speed and power to overwhelm him in the middle rounds before delivering a devastating knockout.

As the anticipation builds for this December showdown, the pressure is on for both fighters. Gervonta Davis, known for his explosive power and undefeated record, aims to extend his dominance in the lightweight division. Meanwhile, Lamont Roach is determined to prove himself and will look to capitalize on this career-defining opportunity.