Now come on – it’s not for nothing that he received the WBA’s permission to scale up and mount a charge against the formidable ‘Tank’? To have come this far when he’s just days away from making history, should Lamont Roach Jr. sing the blues simply because someone can see where things are headed? Far from that. He wears the crown for a reason. Rather than appearing worried and sick as many would expect him to, the super featherweight champion sounded gun-ho and poetic as he posted a message – he already foresees himself lifting the black belt encrusted with precious gold.

Roach, a 29-year-old junior lightweight titleholder, knows Davis well. They fought in the amateurs together. Roach’s trainer and father, Lamont Roach Sr., has seen Davis’ rise as a star. None of that matters in the weeks leading to the fight, as the mood between the sides is tense and serious. “My mindset is to beat his ass,” Roach Jnr told BoxingScene.

Roach won his title against Hector Luis Garcia in November 2023, on the undercard of David Benavidez’s stoppage of Demetrius Andrade. He made one defense against Feargal McCrory on ProBox TV, before landing one of the biggest fights a boxer could land against Davis. “This camp is different because I feel like they are counting me out,” said Roach, 25-1-1 (10 KOs).

The 29-year-old’s zealous anticipation follows Terence Crawford‘s blunt admission. The former undisputed champion opined that in the current landscape, only close friend Shakur Stevenson and stablemate Keyshawn Davis, who finally made it to the lightweight championship roster, are competent enough to inflict a momentous defeat on Gervonta Davis, who is 30-0-0 as a professional with 28 knockout wins under his belt. The record only reflects Davis’ reputation as a puncher and the way opponents retreat when met by his fists. He is coming off a knockout win over Frank Martin, his lone appearance in 2024, and a knockout of Ryan Garcia a year earlier.

Indeed, Lamont Roach Jr. looks to be locked in a battle against the impossible. But so did Muhammad Ali, when he faced George Foreman in Kinshasa. What subsequently unfolded placed ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ in history books.

Though beginning with the much-cliched ‘roses are red and violets are blue,’ Lamont Roach Jr. made it clear – come March 1, the world will greet the new WBA lightweight champion. “Roses are red, violets are blue, March 1st sounds like AND THE NEW 🥰,” he said. This bout isn’t just another title defense for Davis or another challenge for Roach- it’s personal. The two first met as amateurs in 2011, when Davis defeated Roach twice. Now, more than a decade later, Roach is looking for payback, and he’s not shy about it. But Davis is also not the one to back off when it comes to the war of words. So he was quick to pick up Roach Jr.’s words.

“Roses are red, violets are blue, March 1st sounds like ‘don’t worry baby… you’ll be home soon’ from the hospital, mf!” Davis fired back. It didn’t take much time before fans’ reactions poured in. From endorsement to plain rejection, it was clear they were thoroughly enjoying the light banter. With the fight closing in, it’s critical that the Washington, D.C.-born fighter has to be and exude confidence. Just two days ago, Terence Crawford perhaps played spoilsport.

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GD hàs too much experience & ring IQ for , flash in the ring /pan KD , and definitely ...more

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Joining Shakur Stevenson and many others to show support for Keyshawn Davis, Crawford was interacting with a bunch of reporters. With ‘The Businessman’ becoming the new WBO lightweight champion, a potential clash with Gervonta Davis has suddenly become a reality.

Lamont Roach Jr. is missing!

So a reporter checked for the upcoming title unification prospects. “Whoever,” shrugged Terence Crawford, adding further that Gervonta Davis knows the challenges facing him. “He knows what he is up against when he fights Shakur or Keyshawn,” Crawford stated.

The usual ‘Tank’ criticism wasn’t far. Like many, Crawford also highlighted how Gervonta Davis has been facing opponents who barely match him in skills. “They might have a little skill here and there, but mentally wise, they’re not going to be able to keep it up that whole fight,” he said. So does that nameless list include Lamont Roach Jr.?

Certainly, Crawford didn’t mention ‘The Reaper’s name among the ones who will eventually let ‘Tank’ Davis savor the bitter taste of defeat. “Them two guys (Shakur and Keyshawn) right there, you know what I mean, is going to be the ones that, you know, give him (Tank) his first defeat,” the Nebraskan concluded.

Now Lamont Roach Jr. need not lament altogether. These are personal views. Of course, he can stage a huge upset. But the question still lingers: can he pull it off against Gervonta Davis? Considering that the Baltimorean is aiming at a potential retirement, he might want to abdicate the throne on a high note. A legacy that matches the one belonging to Rocky Marciano or his former mentor, but now bête noire Floyd Mayweather Jr. But miracles never cease, right? What about you? Do you agree with Terrence Crawford’s contentions about Gervonta Davis’ first defeat?