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Gervonta 'Tank' Davis vs Lamont Roach Keys to Victory: Breaking down tactics of each fighter
Gervonta "Tank" Davis is back at it with his first fight of 2025 as he looks to defend his WBA lightweight world championship against a game Lamont Roach at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and live on pay-per-view, Saturday night.
Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) has produced devastating knockouts in his last four fights including the stunning eighth-round KO he had of Frank Martin last June.
Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) is coming off an eighth-round TKO of Feargal McCrory in June as well.
With high stakes entering this world championship fight, DAZN News analyzes the keys to victory including the tactics and styles of each lightweight fighter.
Gervonta "Tank" Davis' keys to victory
Walk Roach down
As the champion and fighter with more experience at 135 pounds, it is up to Davis to unceremoniously welcome Roach, the WBA super featherweight titleholder, up to lightweight.
Walking Roach down could be the rude awakening that "Tank" offers the Washington DC native toward that welcome.
The undefeated Davis has shown a penchant of downloading information in real time before stalking his opponents and doing the same against Roach, especially with the challenger against the ropes, should be of great value to the boxing superstar.
Bait, set up Roach
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Watch Davis carefully and he is willing to take shots in order to properly bait and set up his opponents for damaging blows in return.
It is actually one of the champ's best attributes as he allows opponents to often grow a false sense of confidence during early rounds, luring them into eventual and often abrupt destruction.
Explode with power
Davis' knockout ratio of 93 percent is one of the best in boxing, making the power that he is able to generate at 135 pounds truly electric and generational.
Walking Roach down — even if it means absorbing jabs along the way — can very well lead to another highlight-reel knockout for "Tank," especially if he is able to corner the DC fighter.
If Davis is able to catch Roach in cramped quarters with an uppercut or rapid-fire combination, it could be lights out.
Lamont Roach's keys to victory
Apply pressure with the jab
Roach pressures efficiently for his size, often leading to solid results.
Doing so against "Tank" can spell early banked rounds and perhaps more for the reigning WBA super featherweight world champion.
The challenge will be sustaining that applied pressure. Though pressuring might be Roach's best bet to keep "Tank" off of him, Davis walking through fire in order to unleash hell of his own could present major problems for Roach.
That is something the challenger could navigate with movement and fighting off the back foot if need be, but smart pressure behind the jab and combinations should serve Roach well.
Stay off the ropes
(Rey Del Rio/Premier Boxing Champions)
Roach cannot afford to be trapped into corners or caught on the ropes in this fight.
Martin found himself on the ropes and then looking up at the bright lights seconds later as Davis' latest KO victim in June.
Roach can suffer the same fate if he is trapped. It is up to him to use the jab to move himself out of harm's way.
Don't get overconfident
Davis' willingness to take shots to land punishment of his own can produce a sense of overconfidence in opponents.
When that confidence from banked rounds is brimming, that is usually when "Tank" brings fighters back down to earth by flipping a switch.
Roach is a naturally confident fighter and has exhibited a quiet, cool confidence about him during the buildup to this fight.
But if he finds himself ahead during early to middle rounds, it is up to him to remain sharp without getting lured into what could be a fight-finishing punch.
And that is easier said than done against "Tank."
