If ever a fight absolutely called for a rematch, and for a number of reasons – controversy, debate with the official scoring, a knockdown that absolutely was a knockdown but wasn’t ruled as such – we need look no further than the recent Gervonta “Tank” Davis-Lamont Roach fight.
As fans no doubt recall just a few weeks on from the pretty bizarre fight that went down in New York, Tank took a knee during the fight, yet he somehow persuaded the third man to not call it a knockdown, this after he had had his face wiped in his corner (thus two rule infringements took place right there). Roach proved to be a far, far better rival for Tank than most of us thought would be the case, and in the end, the fight was scored a draw.
Roach, as cool and as calm as could be imagined after having been royally ripped off, now gets his chance at revenge or at making things right. This is according to ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez, who reports that the sequel is “tentatively” planned for June 21, this time in Las Vegas, at the T-Mobile Arena.
Again, and to repeat loudly, this is a rematch that absolutely had to happen, and now it seems we are close seeing it going down. Roach really did look to have won the fight, and the New York State Athletic Commission looked into the fight, with a chance there that the draw would be overturned. That didn’t happen, much to Roach’s disappointment, but now the 135 pounders could be set to do it again.
Maybe Tank took Roach somewhat lightly going into the first fight. Maybe Roach is just a better fighter/boxer/dedicated athlete than Tank. Who knows. But as far as 2025 goes, can YOU name a more anticipated, indeed needed rematch at the world level?
Tank, 30-0-1(28) and the reigning WBA lightweight champ, needs to show his greatness in the rematch, that is, if he can and if he really has it. Roach, 25-1-2(10) might just need to be himself all over again, and this time get a fair shake from the officials – and that means the officials who stand inside the ring (the ref) and those who sit at ringside (the three wise men with pens).