Lamont Roach Jr. has cast fresh doubt on his anticipated rematch with Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Telling BoxingScene that talks have gone cold and he is now exploring other options. Roach fought Davis to a controversial draw in March for the WBA lightweight title. With many believing he had done enough to win. The bout’s defining moment came in Round 9, when Davis shockingly took a knee mid-fight, claiming chemicals from his hair had seeped into his eyes. Referee Steve Willis opted against ruling a knockdown, enraging Roach’s team and fueling claims of favoritism toward Davis.
A rematch was expected for August 16 in Las Vegas, but no deal was finalized. Davis’ recent legal troubles further muddied the picture, leaving Roach frustrated.
“The rematch don’t look like it’s happening… we haven’t heard from Davis’ camp… We can’t afford to sit around and drag our feet.”
Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs), who hasn’t defended his WBA junior lightweight title since defeating Hector Luis Garcia in November 2023, insists he feels stronger at 135 pounds and has little interest in cutting back down to 130 without a lucrative offer. His manager, ProBox TV boss Garry Jonas, confirmed that both PBC and Riyadh Season are interested in staging Roach’s next fight.
On to Shakur Stevenson?
Names in the mix include WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson a fight Roach says both men want though such a matchup would likely wait until 2025. In the meantime, Roach could feature on the October 25 Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman PPV undercard in Las Vegas. Roach Jr. could make an appearance on that fight card as well to stay sharp.
“Apart from Tank, the best fight for me and for the division is me versus Shakur Stevenson,” Roach said. “We’ve talked, and we’ll definitely do it. He wants to show he’s the best, and so do I.”
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
