Lamont Roach is an efficient fighter. He’s technically sound; he’s a championship-level fighter.
However so far as opponents for Gervonta “Tank” Davis in a pay-per-view occasion go, I’d favor to see somebody who has produced explosive efficiency on the highest stage or not less than is a polarising character.
Davis is a bonafide pay-per-view star. Whether or not you agree that so a lot of his fights ought to have been on pay-per-view – and I disagreed with most of them – he’s been established on pay-per-view for some time now. What’s been missing is the right opposition essential to cost these sorts of charges.
Roach is a strong fighter. However he hasn’t attain the head, and I additionally don’t assume he’s the character of character to compensate for that. He’s had success at tremendous featherweight, however it’s taken him some time to take action. If he’d made quite a few title defences a struggle between him and Davis would possibly make extra sense, however he’s made one, towards Feargal McCrory.
We’ve seen Davis on this kind of struggle earlier than – corresponding to towards Hector Luis Garcia, who since being stopped by Davis has solely misplaced a break up determination to Roach. However then that’s grow to be the pay-per-view mannequin – as soon as a fighter has that standing, he stays on pay-per-view no matter his opposition.
Frank Martin, Davis’ previous opponent, can also be a strong fighter – and in contrast to Roach is established at light-weight. He’d been on target to struggle Shakur Stevenson, and he’d produced some good performances that meant there was a curiosity surrounding him on the highest stage. There’s no query Davis is of the best stage, which is why the cautious collection of his opposition is irritating.
It’s additionally related that Roach – who’s spoken about extremely by those that know him – isn’t the largest of tremendous featherweights, the place he nonetheless seems able to making defences of his WBA title, and that Davis is such a robust light-weight. If Davis is the largest star within the division, and Stevenson is his largest rival, then I really feel equally about this struggle to how I did when Stevenson was matched with Joe Cordina. It feels extra just like the kind of struggle that might be acceptable if Davis-Stevenson was made, after which Stevenson needed to pull out with an damage and get replaced; if we may very well be assured Davis-Stevenson would come subsequent, it could make much more sense, however it doesn’t even appear shut.
Davis needs to be thought-about a heavy favorite. With respect to Roach, if he gained, it could be the upset of the yr, and a match-up able to producing the upset of the yr shouldn’t be on pay-per-view.
A light-weight struggle I’m rather more constructive about is William Zepeda-Tevin Farmer. Farmer presents Zepeda with a special fashion as he continues to maneuver up in stage; Farmer’s a former world champion, and a really artful southpaw, and by combating him Zepeda’s strengthening his hopes of combating Davis or Stevenson sooner or later.
Southpaws are largely dominant at light-weight, which makes Farmer a really appropriate opponent, and one able to exhibiting us the place Zepeda, who to this point has been spectacular, is at. Farmer could also be previous his greatest, however Zepeda isn’t defending a world title, and their struggle’s on the undercard of that between Chris Billam-Smith and Gilberto Ramirez. I anticipate moments the place Farmer’s on high, and testing Zepeda, even when I anticipate Zepeda to each be taught from him and win.
As a facet word, when Stevenson-Cordina was introduced, we had been additionally informed we might anticipate Stevenson-Zepeda after which Stevenson-Davis in 2025. Stevenson being with Matchroom and DAZN – the broadcaster Zepeda’s combating on, albeit underneath Golden Boy Promotions – means a struggle between them wouldn’t come as a shock.
However I see little or no motive to consider Stevenson-Davis will occur after that. Matchroom don’t have any say over Davis’ actions. I’m completely satisfied to go on report as writing that I don’t consider Stevenson-Davis will occur in 2025, and whereas I anticipate Stevenson-Zepeda to happen, it is going to be late within the yr, as a substitute of early, as we’ve additionally been informed.
