Roach vs McCrory Predictions: Feargal won’t encroach on Roach
Lamont Roach takes on Feargal McCrory this Friday, June 28 with the WBA super featherweight championship on the line. The 130-pound clash will take place at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. ProBoxTV will show the action live.
Here are my Roach vs McCrory predictions ahead of an intriguing world title fight.
McCrory has walked a well-trodden path in his career. After racking up an 11-0 record in his homeland, ‘Fearless’ has operated out of New York for his last five outings. The Big Apple has a huge population of immigrant families from the Emerald Isle and Irish boxers have often found a second home under the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.
The States has been a happy hunting ground for Friday’s challenger. Keeping up his form, McCrory has gone 5-0 in America, with three wins in NYC along with victories in boxing hotbeds Atlantic City and Philadelphia. Now the 31-year-old heads to Washington to try and realise his American dream.
Standing in his way is Lamont Roach Jr., the recently-crowned WBA super featherweight champion of the world. This was his second crack at a world belt, having lost via unanimous decision to then-WBO boss Jamel Herring in 2019.
Roach made no mistake last November, when he won Hector Luis Garcia’s WBA strap on a split verdict. A late surge saw him hurt the champion in the 11th round before knocking him down in the 12th, deservedly taking home the title. Now ‘The Reaper’ makes his first defence of the gold against an unbeaten challenger with ambitions of his own.
Roach is well-schooled, putting his extensive amateur background to good use behind a solid guard as he probes his opponents for openings. ‘The Reaper’ looks to get on the front-foot and likes to take a look before punch-picking. Sometimes the champion is guilty of taking too long to make his move, but his counters are usually good enough to avoid trouble.
McCrory studiously works behind a southpaw jab and looks for counters. This one could take a while to warm up given the fact both men look extensively before they leap. It will be interesting to see who initiates the action first. Roach won the title by turning the heat on late. Will McCrory chance allowing the American to warm into the fight or will he let his hands go sooner than usual?
The champion is the favourite coming into this one, with a Roach victory priced at 1/10 with an implied probability of 90.9%. McCrory is considered a 11/2 shot to take home the title, or 15.4% in percentage terms. The draw is available at 20/1 with an implied probability of 4.8%.
Roach vs McCrory Full Card
Lamont Roach vs. Feargal McCrory, 12 rounds, for Roach's WBA junior lightweight title
Lester Martinez vs. Carlos Gongora, 10 rounds, super middleweights
Alex Dilmaghani vs. Rene Tellez Giron, 10 rounds, junior lightweights
Rianna Rios vs. Mary Romero, 8 rounds, women's bantamweights
Greg Outlaw vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior welterweights
Travon Marshall vs. Luis Midyael Sanchez, 6 rounds, welterweights
Jordan Roach vs. Luis Hernandez, 4 rounds, junior bantamweights
Eric Hernandez vs. TBA, 4 rounds, lightweights
Benjamin Johnson vs. Michael Williams, 4 rounds, welterweights
Deric Davis vs. TBA, 4 rounds, lightweights
Roach vs McCrory Prediction
Neither of these men are renowned knockout artists so I won’t be choosing either to get the stoppage here. Roach has taken out 9 of his 29 opponents while McCrory has seen to eight of his 16 victims.
I feel like this will be more of a chess match. In that sort of scenario, I fancy Roach to do the business. His work is tidier and more technical. ‘The Reaper’ is also a little more insistent and while he is no pressure-fighter, he does come forward with conviction.
My selection is Roach to defeat McCrory by decision, which is priced at 7/4.
You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page
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