Is Lamont Roach Better Off Without The Tank Rematch?

Lamont Roach feels Gervonta Davis disrespected him after not going through with their rematch, as we look at if Roach’s next move is the right one for him.

Roach secured a majority draw against Tank in their March clash, a fight which he could have won. The referee’s failure to give Tank a count in round nine for taking a voluntary knee, prevented Roach from getting a 10-8 round, which would have gotten him a win on the scorecards. A rematch was on course for August, only for Davis to go ahead with a November 14 Jake Paul exhibition instead. Reports indicate Tank will earn $40 million for the fight. Meanwhile, Roach will now face Isaac Cruz in December at 140. Roach is expected to earn $500,000 for that fight, less than the reported $1.5-.1.7 million he secured for facing Tank. Naturally, Roach felt aggrieved.

“There’s a lot of people I could care less about, and he’s done of them. We were cordial, but he disrespected me. He actually disrespected me. Personally, I don’t do that. I don’t play like that. Don’t disrespect me, and I don’t disrespect you. I get it that it’s a sport. You can hype the fight up, but don’t take that disrespect,” Roach said

Implications

While the payday against Cruz is expected to be a fraction of the reported $1.5 to $1.7 million he earned versus Davis, the fight offers a clearer path to a major title and respect within the boxing world. Cruz is a reigning champion (WBC interim light welterweight) and a highly-regarded threat. A decisive win over a fighter of Cruz’s caliber would validate Roach’s performance in the Davis fight and establish his legitimacy as an elite contender in a new weight class. This success provides genuine leverage for future negotiations, rather than simply remaining a high-priced opponent waiting for Davis to grant him a second chance.

In contrast, the immediate rematch with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, while lucrative, carried significant career risk with limited reputational gain. Had the rematch occurred, Roach would have been expected to replicate that performance while facing a highly motivated Davis seeking a decisive knockout. A loss, particularly a definitive one, would have instantly erased the high stock he gained from the draw. By taking the fight with Cruz, Roach avoids the risk of being definitively beaten by Davis.