Lamont Roach Jr. is certain. He wants the rematch. To that end, Roach Jr. confirmed his willingness when he signed the contract for the first fight with Gervonta Davis. But as he emphasized during the interview with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, that may not be sufficient. The ‘A-side’ needs to step up and deliver.

The match on March 1 ended most controversially. As the rounds passed, Roach Jr. started gaining ground, and a huge upset appeared on the horizon. But come the ninth round, a surprising stroke of fate saw ‘Tank,’ retreating from Roach Jr.’s jab, take a voluntary knee. He got up quickly and moved towards his corner. Referee Steve Willis questioned him but didn’t award a knockdown. The fight resumed and went the whole distance, ending in a majority draw. ‘Tank’ gave an explanation, but it failed to satisfy fans now unhappy with the decision. They want a rematch. But it seems despite Roach Jr.’s intentions, Davis still holds the cards.

Cam’ron echoed familiar sentiments. “Probably around round seven or eight we was like, he could win this fight. He could really win this fight, and we thought you actually won the fight,” said the New York-born rapper in the latest episode of ‘It Is What It Is.‘

But he was curious about Lamont Roach Jr.’s immediate plan. Whether he planned to stay at 135 lbs or go back to the super featherweight, where he holds the WBA belt. To Roach Jr., the draw was probably a spoiler.

But he remains hopeful. “From the jump, as soon as the fight got announced, I told everybody after I win the first fight, it’s going to be a rematch, and then after the rematch, I’m gonna be champ at both weights still, so therefore if I got the option to go down and unify, if nobody can unify at 135, I’m going to go down and unify at 130, but I don’t know, I might be there a little longer,” he said.

Lamont Roach Jr.: The ball is in the A-side’s court now

Cam’ron checked for the rematch. Whether the second fight was still in the works or a schedule has already been chalked out. “It’s going to be a rematch…it’s on the way,” insisted Lamont Roach Jr. He had already signed up for the second fight. Only that he’s now awaiting a response from Team Gervonta. “I’mma tell you right now. I’ve signed the seal, okay, so we’re waiting on the other half, that’s all,” said ‘The Reaper.’

Three days ago, Mike Coppinger revealed that ‘Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach are on course for a summer rematch.’ Backing up the ESPN boxing insider, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix added that the fight may likely happen in Las Vegas by late June.

At the end of the day, it’s about righting the wrongs. There was a clear refereeing error. The match decision further exacerbated the pain. Hence, Lamont Roach Jr. deserves a second chance. Given ‘Tank’ has hinted at year-end retirement, signing off on a victorious note could salvage his reputation that seems to have taken a hit.

Why do you think Team Gervonta Davis is staying silent on the rematch for now?