Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. are potentially locked in for a June reunion. The urgency to schedule the rematch highlights the high stakes involved. The first match on March 1 ended most controversially. Despite his infraction, Davis narrowly escaped defeat. Had it not been for a singular flaw, like many, Claressa Shields believes Roach Jr. could have won the fight.
Roughly three weeks after Shields defeated Danielle Perkins, Gervonta Davis stepped into the ring to defend his lightweight championship from Lamont Roach Jr., a super featherweight title holder. As the fight progressed, giving an excellent account of himself, the challenger started gaining ground. However, in a most dramatic manner, things changed when Davis took a voluntary knee in the ninth round. He should have been penalized with a knockdown. But that didn’t happen. Eventually, the match ended in a majority draw. The state athletic commission subsequently upheld the decision. To set the record straight, a rematch remains the most viable option. Now, as it appears on the horizon, many have started speculating on the outcome.
Claressa Shields was in Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, to watch the title fight between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan. Rumors about a potential matchup between Mayer and Shields have been rife. Post-fight, Sean Zittel caught up with the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Shields took some time to collect her thoughts when Zittel fired the first question: “How have you gotten that Tank-Roach rematch?”
Olympics: USA Boxing press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Aug 3, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, USA USA boxer Claressa Shields speaks during a press conference at the MPC Catira Room prior to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports, 03.08.2016 12:23:47, 9419750, Claressa Shields, OLYMPICS PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPeterxCaseyx 9419750
Shields admitted, “I hate to freeze up like that, I mean.” Refocusing, Shields first acknowledged both ‘Tank’ Davis and Lamont Roach as great fighters. Their first fight was highly competitive. Later she hinted at ‘Tank’s mental struggles. Perhaps he might be dealing with things behind the scenes that affect his performance.
Nevertheless, Shields expressed caution about commenting on Davis. Whenever she does, her words tend to go viral and spark unnecessary drama. So she clarified that while she’s not friends with ‘Tank,’ she doesn’t dislike him either and genuinely wishes him well. If ‘Tank’ gets his mental state in order, he will perform better in the rematch.
Claressa Shields on Roach’s tactical approach: What could have been different?
Speaking about the ‘Tank’-Roach fight, Zittel compared it to the Jermell Charlo vs. Tony Harrison rivalry. He highlighted how Harrison initially pulled off an upset. But Charlo made the necessary adjustments and won convincingly in the rematch. “Is that maybe what we get out of Tank, or is it more like Roach was going to pick up where he left off?” asked Zittel.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 01: Gervonta Davis punches Lamont Roach Jr. during their bout for Davis’ WBA lightweight title at Barclays Center on March 01, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
“I mean, I think that if Roach would have been a bit more aggressive, he would have won; he would have won the fight, like, clearly,” responded Claressa Shields. Adding further, she said, “I think that he had some good counters. I’ve never seen somebody take punches from Tank and be able to still stand up. I don’t think I’ve seen Roach get wobbled at all. I think I’ve seen Tank get wobbled a couple of times.”
Given the way Roach Jr. fought, even pundits were quite surprised. Earlier, even Bob Arum echoed similar sentiments. Speaking with Sean Zittel, he revealed that perhaps ‘Tank’ Davis needed to take boxing more seriously and not just treat it as a media event. He doesn’t personally know Davis but felt his performance was ‘ordinary.’ However, given his inability to adjust, he was uncertain if Davis would win a rematch.
What’s your take? Will Lamont Roach Jr. finally break through with a victory, or will Gervonta Davis silence the naysayers with a dominant win?
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