This Saturday, March 1, 2025, fireworks are set to explode at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Gervonta “Tank” Davis steps into the ring to defend his WBA lightweight world title against Lamont Roach Jr. But this isn’t just another title fight—this is a rematch over a decade in the making.
Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) is one of boxing’s most dangerous finishers, boasting an undefeated record and knockout power that has left a trail of destruction in his wake. The Baltimore southpaw has established himself as one of the sport’s elite pound-for-pound fighters, and he has no plans of letting his crown slip away.
“I like showing people they’re not who they think they are,” Davis said in a recent interview. “I like proving it to them and everyone around them. When I won my first title, the whole building doubted me.”
But standing across from him will be Roach Jr. (25-1-1, 10 KOs), the reigning WBA super featherweight champion, who is moving up in weight for the biggest fight of his career. Roach exudes confidence and sees this as his moment.
“This is a huge opportunity, and we’re going to take full advantage,” Roach declared. “Everybody thinks they know what I bring, but if they don’t, they’re in for a surprise. I’m going to show them what happens when two real dogs get in the ring together.”
However, this showdown isn’t just about titles—it’s personal. Davis and Roach share a history dating back to their amateur days. They first clashed on August 5, 2011, in Alabama. At the time, Roach had just 11 fights under his belt, while Davis had 23. That night, Tank took the win by decision after three hard-fought rounds.
But as Roach himself put it, this is a whole different ballgame. “Fighting as amateurs and fighting now—it’s a huge difference. We’ve both evolved, we’ve improved, and we do things differently in the ring. We might recognize some old tendencies, but I don’t think any of that will matter on the big stage.”
With bad blood, championship gold on the line, and a decade-old rivalry set to reignite, Davis vs. Roach Jr. promises to be a fight you won’t want to miss.
