The August 16 rematch against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis will be a very special moment for Lamont Roach Jr, where he surely feels he has something to prove to the world, once his last appearances in the ring have left many doubts about his mentality to fight for the WBA lightweight title.
This is because Roach Jr. proved many people wrong during his March 1 fight, which ended in a majority draw. Meanwhile, Gervonta “Tank” Davis went into that fight as a -1600 favorite, and many believed Roach Jr. had no chance against one of the sport’s biggest stars. Then, Roach Jr. not only stood up to Tank, but most believe he should have won the fight, given the multiple fouls Davis committed (such as kneeing in the ninth round) that should at least have cost him points.
Roach Jr’s strong threat to Tank Davis
But even after that fight, some do not give Roach Jr the respect he deserves. Instead, the boxing community says that Tank was not in his usual mental state before stepping into the ring, and that showed in his lackluster performance. In other words, they don’t think Roach Jr is ready to face the best version of Davis. However, the challenger is preparing to prove the doubters wrong. And he went a step further with a rather disturbing claim he made during training, which was broadcast on YouTube.
While punching a bag, Roach Jr. turned to the camera and said: “Gervonta will be the reason I catch a body in this fight, you see?”. The camera then focused on one of Roach’s trainers, who said: “The champion doesn’t lie! That joker will be the reason I catch a body, I assure you”. Surely, the fact that Roach Jr. invokes this same sentiment will come as a surprise to the boxing world.
Explosive phrases that ensure a high-intensity fight
It is unclear exactly what Roach Jr and his trainer were referring to, but “catching a body” is commonly used as a colloquial expression meaning to commit murder. This phrase has become famous in the boxing community since heavyweight Deontay Wilder claimed in May 2019 that “he was still trying to get a body on my record”, which generated much criticism about his intentions.
The fight between Lamont Roach Jr. and Gervonta Davis will be one of the most anticipated of the year, where Tank will have to prove that he is up to the task to retain the WBA lightweight title, but the challenger will have to show the world that he is the real owner of the belt.
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