The world will not stop if Lamont Roach Jr. beats Gervonta “Tank’’ Davis Saturday night and wins the WBA lightweight world title. After all, Roach is the WBA super featherweight world champion.
But with Davis, it’s less a question who will win the bout than in what round it will end. He is 30-0 with 28 knockouts and has stopped 20 of his past 21 opponents before the final bell.
“It actually feels like a home run,’ Davis, 30, said of the knockouts. “Like someone hits the bat on the target and it goes far. That’s how it feel when you hit someone on the button.’’
His victims include Ryan Garcia, Leo Santa Cruz, Jose Pedraza and, quite likely on Saturday night, Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs).
But over his last eight fights, Davis either is letting opponents tire themselves out or having to work harder. He won seven of those fights by KO but none came sooner than the sixth round. During that stretch, Isaac Cruz took Davis the distance in a 12-round bout.
Davis said Roach, 29, will be the most skillful boxer he’s faced yet. But chances are Roach will finish where most of the others have – on the canvas.
USA TODAY Sports will have coverage of the main event and all the preliminary bouts. Follow along for the latest updates, results and highlights.
Watch Davis vs. Roach with Amazon Prime PPV
Yoenis Tellez vs. Julian Williams, super welterweight
Round 1: Julian Williams out quick behind the jab. Yoenis Tellez’s pink gloves waiting for action. There flies a jab from Tellez. More lefts follow as Tellez becomes and aggressor. But Williams scores with two hard rights and a left hook. Williams 10, Tellez 9.
Round 2: Williams opens with a couple of jabs and Tellez responds with heavy fire. Tellez stalking as Williams fires the jab, then combinations. Williams landing with more power. Tellez finishes strong, but too late. Williams 20, Tellez 18.
Round 3: Tellez comes out the aggressor. Williams still firing jabs to keep his opponent at bay. Tellez breaks through with effective body punches and a big uppercut. Williams urgently moves forward out of the corner and Tellez retreats. Tellez delivers with solid combination and Williams backpedals. He’s bleeding over the left eye as the round ends. Williams 29, Tellez 28.
Round 4: Tellez stalks again. Williams showing some effectiveness with the jab as Tellez needs time to find an opening. Action has slowed. Now Tellez is using his jab to close the distance, and Williams responds with expert use of his jab and a couple of hard body shots. Tellez counters with an uppercut. Williams 38, Tellez 38.
Round 5: Williams lands combinations, but it’s not enough to stop Tellez. The young Cuban keeps marching forward and the swelling on Williams’ face is evident. Tellez continues to pepper Williams’ face with jabs while unloading heavier punches when the opportunity presents itself. Tellez 48, Williams 47.
Round 6: Tellez pushing forward behind that jab and uncorks an overhand right. Lands two body shots and Williams looks non-threatening. Williams stands his ground, but his face is taking a beating. Another strong finish for Tellez. Tellez 58, Williams 56.
Round 7: Williams looks wary. Or is it weary? Maybe both. Tellez is 10 years younger and looks fresh. Williams lands a combination, but Tellez counters with a nasty left hook. The action is turning increasingly lopsided in favor of the pink-gloved Tellez. Tellez 68, Williams 65.
Round 8: Williams opens fast with a couple of jabs. He lands a good right, but Tellez looks unconcerned. They trade solid body shots. Tellez stalks again and drives a left into Williams’ midsection. Catches up to Williams and lands two flurries of punches. Tellez 78, Williams 74.
Round 9: Williams fires a couple of hard jabs. Tellez responds with heavier punches. Williams looks content to stick-and-move-and-get-stuck-with-punches. Williams bleeding profusely under both eyes. He absorbs some big body punches before countering with solid punches. They’re trading jabs. Williams can use an ice facial. Tellez 88, Williams 83.
Johan Gonzalez def. Jarrett Hurd by split decision
Hurd, the former unified super welterweight champion, announced his retirement moments after losing to Gonzalez in the 10-round middleweight bout.
Hurd held the IBO and IBF super welterweight titles in 2019, but did not turn back the clock against Gonzalez. He found himself under attack from the outset and looked mostly lackluster until the final rounds.
The judges scored it 96-94, 94-96, 98-92 in favor of Gonzalez, the 33-year-old from Venezuela who improved to 36-3.
Hurd, 34, started out his career 23-0. But it ends after he went 2-4-1 in his final seven fights.
David Whitmire def. Angel Munoz by unanimous decision
Whitmire, also known as “The Body Snatcher,’’ lived up to his nickname during the six-round welterweight bout.
Whitmire punished Munoz with body shots and did some meaningful headhunting, too.
Munoz managed to stay on his feet and connected with hooks, but he lacked the power to hurt Whitmire.
All three judges scored it 60-54 for Whitmire, 19, who improved to 9-0. Munoz, 22, dropped to 7-1.
Deric Davis def. Jamal Johnson by TKO
Davis knocked Johnson down twice in the first round of their super lightweight bout for a TKO victory.
The first knockdown came on a body shot. Johnson’s mouthpiece went flying as he went tumbling to the canvas. The second knockdown came on a left hook that dropped Johnson and prompted the referee to call the fight with 1:04 left the first round.
Davis, 22, improved to 6-0 while recording his fifth first-round stoppage.
Johnson, who entered the ring wearing a black mask, fell to 2-1.
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Lamont Roach time
Prelimary fights begin at 6 p.m. ET with the main event card beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The Davis-Roach fight has an approximate ring walk of 11 p.m. ET.
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight card
Main Card
WBA lightweight title fight: Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach
Super lightweight: Jose Valenzuela vs. Gary Antuanne Russell
WBC super lightweight title fight: Alberto Puello vs. Sandor Martin
Super welterweight: Yoenis Tellez vs. Julian Williams
Prelims
Middleweight: Jarrett Hurd vs. Johan Gonzalez
Super featherweight: Geo Lopez vs. Grimardi Machuca
Super welterweight: Cristian Cangelosi vs. Jarrod Tennant
Super welterweight: Dwyke Flemmings Jr. vs. Florent Dervis
Welterweight: David Whitmire vs. Angel Munoz
Super bantamweight: Alexis De la Cerda Landin vs. Sharone Carter
Super middleweight: Nasheed H. Smith vs. Tariq Green
Lightweight: Deric Davis vs. Oscar Eduardo Gonzalez Jr.
Where is the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight?
This WBA lightweight championship fight will get underway on Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Davis vs. Roach card start time
Main card: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (Amazon Prime PPV)
Prelims: 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
How to watch Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight
Coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET for the main event card and will be available on Amazon Prime PPV. Preliminary bouts starting at 6 p.m. ET available on Prime video.
Watch Davis vs. Roach with Amazon Prime PPV
Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach fight odds
All available odds are for moneyline bets as of Friday, according to BetMGM. (Check for new odds before adding to file)
Main Card
WBA lightweight title fight: Gervonta Davis (-2000) vs. Lamont Roach (+750)
Super lightweight: Jose Valenzuela (-110) vs. Gary Antuanne Russell (-120)
WBC super lightweight title fight: Alberto Puello (-135) vs. Sandor Martin (+100)
Super welterweight: Yoenis Tellez (-1600) vs. Julian Williams (+650)
Prelims
Middleweight: Jarrett Hurd (-120) vs. Johan Gonzalez (-110)
Super featherweight: Geo Lopez vs. Grimardi Machuca
Super welterweight: Cristian Cangelosi vs. Jarrod Tennant
Super welterweight: Dwyke Flemmings Jr. vs. Florent Dervis
Welterweight: David Whitmire vs. Angel Munoz
Super bantamweight: Alexis De la Cerda Landin vs. Sharone Carter
Super middleweight: Nasheed H. Smith vs. Tariq Green
Lightweight: Deric Davis vs. Oscar Eduardo Gonzalez Jr.
Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach predictions
CBS Sports: Pick Gervonta Davis
Brent Brookhouse writes: ‘While Roach is right that the amateur fights between the two do provide some direct knowledge of being in the ring with the champ, it also overlooks that, even as teenagers, Davis was the better fighter. That hasn’t changed as the years have ticked by. Davis is too smart, too disciplined and too powerful for Roach. The challenger may win an early round or two given Davis’ tendency to start slowly while he scouts out his opponent and figures out where the openings are to hurt them. But once Davis gets rolling, it will likely be a matter of time before he lands some big shots to end things.’
Yahoo Sports: Davis KO
Darshan Desai writes: ‘I expect Roach to have success in the early rounds at long range and occasionally catch Davis in exchanges due to his reach advantage, similar to the success Rolando Romero had against Davis. But Roach leaves himself open to counters, and I expect Davis to capitalize devastatingly in the second half of the fight.’
Boxing Scene: Jim Lampley picks Davis
David Greisman writes, according to Lampley: ‘Even if Tank did not possess his shocking punching power, he would be an elite lightweight on the basis of his crafty boxing, southpaw style advantage, clever footwork and visible killer instinct,” Lampley said. “But it is pure power that really sets him apart. He doesn’t just beat his opponents. He annihilates them in breathtaking, often scary fashion.’
Boxing News: Oscar De La Hoya picks Davis
The site reported that Oscar De La Hoya said: ‘I think Lamont Roach is a terrific fighter, he might be a little over his head with Gervonta Davis. Gervonta Davis is, I mean, to say the least. He’s a beast. He really is. He’s (Gervonta Davis) a tremendous fighter. He’s a dedicated fighter when it comes to training and fighting and making sure that he’s in optimal conditions when he steps inside that squared circle. It’s gonna be a tough night for Roach, but you can never count him out.”
Has Tank Davis ever been knocked down?
Officially, Davis never has been knocked down. But that’s a matter of debate. In 2020, during the first round of his fight against Leo Santa Cruz, Davis ended up on the canvas. The referee did not rule it a knockdown – but judge for yourself.
What is not in dispute is the Davis’ highlight-reel KO that ended the fight in the sixth round.
Who is Tank Davis’ girlfriend Vanessa Posso?
Vanessa Posso, Davis’ girlfriend, is the mother of two of the boxer’s three children. She is a model with her own jewelry line called “Rich Girlz.’
Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach live stream
Coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be available on Amazon Prime PPV with prelim fights available on Prime Video.
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