Lamont Roach Reveals Two Fascinating Possible Fights for First WBA Defence

According to Dan Rafael via his Fight Freaks Unite Substack, WBA junior lightweight champion and promotional free agent Lamont Roach Jr. (24-1-1, 9 KOs) is working on plans to make the first defence of his title in his hometown of Washington D.C., with two fascinating fights and a possible mandatory defence in the pipeline.

Lamont Roach Next Fight: Three Possible Next Options

Lamont Roach vs. Hector Luis Garcia

Roach won the WBA strap after defeating Hector Luis Garcia by split decision in a highly technical close fight, with the judge’s scorecards reading 116-111 and 114-113 for Roach, with the third card reading 114-113 for Garcia. 

Most of the bout saw both fighters feeling each other out and having success, but nothing sustained from either. The fight exploded into life in the championship rounds, with Roach hurting Garcia with a right hand that knocked him into the ropes in round 11. A beautifully timed right uppercut staggered Garcia again, and Roach backed this up in the final round, knocking down his opponent, which was the deciding factor for the Washington native to get the victory.

O’Shaquie Foster or Joe Cordina

Speaking on plans for his first defence, Roach said: “Our plan is to defend in D.C., which is already in the works for late spring.” He continued: “Afterwards I will re-enter negotiations with Top Rank for the (O’Shaquie) Foster (unification) fight. If it doesn’t go well we will go straight to (IBF titlist Joe) Cordina, who will be a free agent after his next fight as we know.”

Roach appears ready to fight his mandatory if the Cordina or Foster fights fail to materialise: “If all fails, which I doubt, I’ll fight my mandatory Jono Carroll, because I have to without those unification exemptions.”

The fight with Foster remains a real possibility, with both going back and forth on social media, expressing their desire to unify.