The many fans calling for a rematch between “Tank” Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach have been satisfied: the two American lightweights will square off again on August 16. Up for grabs will be the WBA World Title, currently held by Davis, who retained it thanks to a split draw decision by the judges on March 1st of this year. Meanwhile, the shadow of Jake Paul looms on the horizon…
The need for a rematch became undeniable due to the controversy that followed the first bout between Davis and Roach. Despite “Tank” being the heavy favorite, the fight turned out to be extremely close, with Roach mounting a strong comeback in the second half of the contest—so much so that many observers believed he had done just enough to edge the win.
Adding fuel to the fire was referee Steve Willis, who made a clear error in the ninth round by refusing to give Davis a count after the champion, moments after taking a left jab to the eye, went down on one knee and walked—without permission—to his corner to have his face wiped with a towel.
This rematch will serve to determine whether Davis had simply underestimated his opponent, or if Roach truly has the tools to trouble him. On one hand, it’s entirely plausible that “Tank” didn’t train at 100%, especially given how widely expected his victory was. On the other, it’s worth noting that Roach likely lost precious points by adopting a very cautious strategy in the first half—and with a bit more courage, he could perhaps do even better.
Although most boxing fans, in the event of a Davis victory, would love to see a title unification bout between him and WBC champion Shakur Stevenson, that scenario doesn’t currently appear to be the most likely.
According to some reports, Davis had already planned to announce a bizarre fight against former YouTuber Jake Paul back in early March—an announcement that was delayed only because of the unexpected draw against Roach and the surrounding controversy. The idea of staging this bout between the champ and the media star hasn’t gone away and could come to life in November.
Early rumors suggest it would be an exhibition match, mainly because it would be nearly impossible to get approval from an American athletic commission for an official pro bout given the vast weight difference between the two.
We’ll see if Davis actually goes down that path. If he does, he’s sure to face heavy criticism for prioritizing business over sporting glory—a tendency that has so far left him with a résumé far less impressive than what many expected when he first broke out on the world stage.