Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs Lamont Roach Predictions: ‘Tank’ could get rounds in the bank

Gervonta Davis returns this Saturday, March 1 as he defends the WBA lightweight title against Lamont Roach. The Barclays Center in New York will host the world title attraction with Prime Video showing the fight on pay-per-view.

Here are my Davis vs Roach predictions ahead of Saturday’s main event.

Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Odds

Pound-for-pounder Davis is unsurprisingly the big favourite at 1/20. Roach’s task is summed up with his 8/1 odds while the draw is pitched at 20/1. 

Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Fight Preview

This fight has been a long time coming, having suffered a series of postponements and delays since October of last year. But, at least as I write this, the bout is finally set to take place. Both Davis and Roach are having their first bouts since June 2024.

‘Tank’ Davis is one of the most talked-about fighters in boxing. It is easy to see why. The Maryland southpaw has 28 knockouts from his 30 wins against zero defeats. Stoppages are always the quickest way to get people uttering your name. 

Davis is a three-weight world champion, having collected the IBF and WBA straps at super featherweight and the WBA super lightweight belt during a one-fight jaunt at 140lb. He has an exciting, crowd-pleasing style. But boxing fans find the 30-year-old as frustrating as they do fascinating. 

This is due to the perception that he has not been in many truly big fights. Wins over Leo Santa Cruz, Marios Barrios and Rolando Romero stand out on his record. But you could argue his superb seventh-round TKO of Ryan Garcia is the only truly mega-name on his ledger.

It is hard to argue when one thinks of the talent that has passed through the lightweight division during Davis’ reign. Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez have all called the 135lb class home while ‘Tank’ has had that WBA belt. Any one of those bouts would have sat as the biggest in Davis’ career. But none have happened.

There remain big fights available. Lomachenko is still IBF champion at the weight while next-generation stars like Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis now the WBC and WBO straps respectively. Any of those fights could provide the spark Davis needs.

The Stevenson fight seems to be at the front of Davis’ mind. ‘Tank’ and Shakur have been swapping barbs online for a while. Both claim to want the fight yet here we sit without the fight having taken place. Perhaps, with Stevenson having just stopped Josh Padley in Riyadh and Gervonta fighting this weekend, their schedules will finally line up.

But before that, Davis has to get through Roach. That is no mean feat. While his name may not be a marquee staple, Roach is a fine fighter. A world champion down at super featherweight, he steps up against a feared and experienced power-puncher. 

The problem Roach is going to encounter on Saturday is the reality of facing a power guy without the ability to return it in kind. ‘The Reaper’ has 10 knockouts from 25 wins, with one defeat. If Davis pours it on, it is difficult to see how Roach turns the tide.

The talk is that Roach is the last obstacle before the aforementioned Stevenson fight. The best laid plans in boxing have a way of coming apart at the seams. Daniel Dubois and Floyd Schofield vacating the Saudi card last weekend shows us that. But if ‘Tank’ can impress on Saturday, a superfight is surely in the offing.

Roach is talented but the jump in weight, coupled with his lack of punch power, makes this a huge ask. Like many Davis fights, this will be an exhibition of his supreme talents, but one that leaves you wishing he was using those gifts against similarly talented men.

Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Full Card

Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach

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Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach Prediction

I simply don’t think the challenger can live with the power here. Roach is a fine boxer but he will be trying to keep a bigger man off him. Davis has fought at super lightweight and still knocked out a world champion. I have seen nothing from Roach that suggests he can prevent the stoppage.

I’m taking Davis to do this around the mid-to-late rounds. I’d have perhaps gone earlier had been more active recently. But sharpness can only be gained in the ring and I think Davis might need a little time to warm into this one. You can back ‘Tank’ to end it in rounds eight at 8/1.

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