Gervonta Davis looks to be firing on all cylinders ahead of his upcoming clash.
‘Tank’ is set to defend his WBA lightweight title against Lamont Roach on March 1 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Instagram – Patrice HarrisDavis’ hands are so quick it looks like his pad routine is being played on fast-forward[/caption]
Roach is the reigning WBA super featherweight champion and has received ‘special permission’ from the major sanctioning body to move up in weight and challenge for a world title in a second division while retaining his 130lbs belt.
Davis was elevated from ‘regular’ to full WBA world champion in November 2023 when Devin Haney relinquished the black and gold strap.
The Baltimore banger defended the full world title for the first time in June with an eighth-round knockout win over Frank Martin and he is now set to make his second defence against Roach.
Roach snatched the WBA super featherweight title away from Hector Luis Garcia via split decision in November 2023 and successfully retained it against Feargal McCrory in June.
He isn’t a name that casual boxing fans will be all too familiar with but ‘The Reaper’ is a high-quality technician that demands respect.
Davis is aware of the quality Roach possesses from their two fights in the amateurs and is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for their trilogy bout in the pros.
The 30-year-old is hard at work in the gym and recently showed off his blistering hand speed in a pad routine with his coach Patrice Harris, which fans watched with amazement.
Reacting to the 13-second clip, one supporter commented: “Now he is looking sharp.”
Another wrote: “Looks to be in incredible shape already.”
A third added: “Fastest hands at lightweight.”
Meanwhile, somebody else posted: “He keeps getting faster.”
Davis vs Roach is accompanied by an excellent three-fight undercard, which includes two world title clashes and an interim title dust-up.
In the co-feature attraction, WBA super lightweight champion Jose Valenzuela defends his belt against Gary Antuanne Russell.
Russell (17-1), the younger brother of former long-reigning WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr, came up short against Alberto Puello in his last outing via split decision but is getting a second crack at the divisional elite in Brooklyn.
Valenzuela (14-2) bested Isaac Cruz for the WBA super lightweight title in August after rebounding from a controversial loss against Chris Colbert to knock out the once highly-touted prospect.
Further down the card, WBC super lightweight champion Puello takes on Sandor Martin in a fight that promises to produce fireworks.
Full Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach undercard
Gervonta Davis vs Lamont Roach (WBA lightweight title)
Jose Valenzuela vs Gary Antuanne Russell (WBA super lightweight title)
Alberto Puello vs Sandor Martin (WBC super lightweight title)
Yoenis Tellez vs Julian Williams (WBA ‘interim’ super lightweight title)
Puello (23-0) became a two-weight world champion last June when the WBC interim super lightweight strap he beat Russell for was elevated to a full world title after Haney left the division.
Martin (42-3) previously sent Mikey Garcia into retirement with a career-best victory in 2021 and caused Teofimo Lopez all kinds of problems when they squared off a year later.
The Spaniard is full of talent but is yet to release his dream of becoming a world champion.
He will be hoping that all changes on March 1.
Finally, the undercard is capped off by a WBA interim super welterweight title fight between rising star Yoenis Tellez (9-0) and former unified super welterweight champion Julian Williams (28-4-1).
