May 4, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Lamont Roach Jr. (black/yellow/red trunks) celebrates after defeating Jonathan Oquendo (not pictured) in their junior lightweight bout at T-Mobile Arena. Roach Jr. won via unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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Lamont Roach Breaks Silence On Potential Gervonta Davis Rematch After ‘Tank’s’ Jake Paul Bout Collapses

Controversial decisions in combat sports leave fighters and fans debating what should have happened. Then when promised rematches keep getting delayed or cancelled entirely, that frustration transforms into something deeper. Patience has limits, even for the most professional athletes. And Lamont Roach Jr. is bearing this brunt.

Roach Jr. fought Gervonta Davis to a controversial draw on March 1 at Barclays Center. Many believed Roach deserved the win, but instead he left without the lightweight title. The super featherweight champion was promised a rematch with tentative dates first in June, then August. Neither materialized because Davis chose a Jake Paul exhibition instead. Now that event has also collapsed, with Paul facing Anthony Joshua on December 19 instead. Now, he is breaking his silence on potential Gervonta Davis rematch, revealing he’s moved on while setting strict conditions if they ever fight again.

Lamont Roach Jr. Taking Control Instead Of Waiting Around

Rather than sulking about broken promises, Roach took control of his circumstances and secured a shot at Isaac Cruz’s interim light welterweight title. The two will headline a PBC-Amazon Prime card on December 6, giving Roach an opportunity to win a championship in a second weight class.

Roach appeared unfazed during an interview with Fight Hub TV when asked about the canceled Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis exhibition. What troubled him more was the fate of undercard fighters on that event who had fights scheduled. Roach Jr. knows exactly what it feels like looking forward to something and then having it not happen.

When asked whether he still wanted a ‘Tank’ rematch and if a hefty payday would convince him, Roach Jr. (25-1-2) replied honestly in the affirmative. But if the rematch does arise, there are many guarantees that have to be in place just in case it doesn’t happen again. Roach learned his lesson about trusting verbal promises without concrete protections.

“If it does arise, there’s a lot of guarantees that I have to be in place, and you know, just in case it doesn’t happen again.”

Earlier while discussing the potential rematch, Roach Jr. expressed how disrespected he felt from a business perspective. Reportedly,$40 million dollars lured Davis toward Paul’s boxing show before another personal incident caused those plans to collapse entirely.

Davis may rule the ring with his explosive power and finishing ability, but apparently he doesn’t rule the business side with the same effectiveness. The absence of a second fight with Roach Jr. might become an obvious blemish on Davis’s otherwise brilliant career. Fans invested in their March 1 draw remain disappointed by the inconclusive ending to this saga.

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Gervonta Davis

Lamont Roach Jr.

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!