Speaker 1: Well, it's my pleasure to be joined on our podcast
this week by the WBA Junior Lightweight Champion of the World,
Lamont Roach Junior. B Lamont, you have a big fight
coming up. You're not gonna be fighting in the junior
lightweight division. You are moving up to lightweight to challenge
the wo WBA champion in the lightweight division, Jervanta Tank Davis,
in a pay per view fight from PBC on Prime
Video also PPV dot Com, will take place on March
first at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. And
welcome you to the show. And I'm good to talk
to you. What I'd like to know I from your
first Laman is you know, this fight's sort of been
there was a lot of rumors maybe what happened, maybe
it wouldn't. You were a named that was always sort
of like at the top of the Tank list of
what might be coming up for him. So could you
just recount to me what your initial thoughts were when
you actually got offered the fighting you this was a possibility.
Speaker 2: So when we actually as soon as we got the call,
it was like, hell, yeah, honestly, that's about it.
Speaker 3: Like Rouge is in the car, I think, what's on me?
Speaker 2: And my dad's in the car on the way to
the airport to go back home, and it was like
he was just like you know, tangs changes called and
he was like, we wanted to fight, of course.
Speaker 1: Yeah, well you've never been a guy that's been turning
down fight. So, uh, that's something I know from having
covered your whole career. If you go back to twenty nineteen, aount,
you had a chance to fight Jamelle Herring back then
for the WBO Junior light White title, your first opportunity
or you know, a big prospect. You were undefeated. I
believe you were the mandatory challenger at that time for
his title, and you know, you gave a good fight,
but you know it came up a little bit short,
loss the decision, and I just wondered, you know, it
took you a little while to get back to the
position to fight for another world title. What do you
feel like you learned from that first loss? You know,
despite it being competitive, Uh, the.
Speaker 2: Fact that they aren't going to give me anything like
like you said, it was it was a good fight.
It was a good effort, but it just wasn't enough.
I know, going into things especially as an underdog. Things
I'm gonna you know what I'm saying, going to be,
They're probably going to be stacked against me. So I
just have to I just had to take matters into
my own hands and make sure that I give no
doubt that I should win. You know, the rest of
my bouts going on throughout my career.
Speaker 1: Well you have done that because you have won six
fights in a row since that particular fight, and in
twenty twenty three, November of twenty twenty three, you got
the chance to fight for a title again against Hector
Luis s Garcia in Las Vegas, and you outpointed him
in a close fight. You won the WBA title, And
I wondered, Actually, I was thinking, you know, guys who
you know, they they don't get anything, Like you said,
nothing handed to Lamont. Roach, took your time prospect, you know,
into main event fights eventually, you know, really worked your
way to get that opportunity. Nearly ten years as a professional,
from the time you started tell wing you won the title.
What did it feel like to finally get it and
know that all that hard work, all that you know,
that decade of preparing for that moment, What did that
mean to you.
Speaker 3: I mean everything to me.
Speaker 2: Just like you said, it was a whole bunch of
hard work, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of faith,
and just trusting myself, trusting my team and knowing.
Speaker 3: That we'll be will be exactly where we were supposed
to be.
Speaker 1: You got a chance in June of last year, June
of twenty twenty four, to defend the title for the
first time. I know you had spoke about what it
would mean to you to have a homecoming fight, to
have a world championship fight in Washington, d C. Where
you're you know where you're from originally, and you made
that dream come true. You had a very good performance,
a knockout victory against the undefeated Fergla McCrory in front
of your fans in the district, had a good crowd there.
Knockedhi out in the eighth round, pretty dominating victory. And
I wonder you know, I hear from people they talk
about making the dream come true. I talked recently with
Keishawn Davis about him and his brothers wanting to have
a homecoming fight and that was a dream for them.
They finally got to accomplish that. And I asked him
this question. I'm curious your response to it as well.
How did the reality of having the title fight at
home compared to the dream for all those years you had.
Speaker 3: I think it matched up to me, It matched up.
Speaker 2: It was something that I wanted to do, not only
for myself, but for everyone has been following me since
I started, my family, stretching my close family that that
aren't able to make it out to La Vegas, you
know what I'm saying, all.
Speaker 3: The other states that I fought in Puerto Rico, Mexico,
like out of the country and stuff like that.
Speaker 2: So it was it was very satisfying for me.
Speaker 3: It was honestly just a dream come true.
Speaker 2: And you know, getting a dance in front of my
home crowd is it is just it was just fun.
Speaker 1: It was a crazy atmosphere, I mean, that's for sure.
But the fight with you and Gervante was discussed for
maybe being you know, at the end of last year,
that fight you just mentioned that you defended the title
was in June. It didn't happen. There was you know,
I didn't really there was issues over the venue it
was gonna be in Houston. A lot of conversations. Ultimately
it did not happen, rescheduled, and now it's taking place
on March first. As I mentioned, was there any kind
of frustration of only having the one fight last year
and kind of having to put this off and waiting
and waiting and waiting to get it all locked in?
Speaker 3: Uh, just just a.
Speaker 2: Little bit, yeah, honestly, because it's not like I'm signing
the PBC or obviously not signed the GTD either, So
you know what I'm saying, Like, it's not like I'm
I'm in the loop as soon as every decision is made.
So it is a little frustrating, but at the end.
Speaker 3: Of the day, it is what it is. It's boxing, man.
Speaker 2: You never know what you're going to get, and you know,
it's just you just stay on board for the ride
for real, for real. I was always ready, no matter
the case, no matter whatever was going on with the venue.
Speaker 3: Honestly, I just think he wasn't ready. I think they,
you know, scheduled it for when they.
Speaker 2: Think he'll be prepared for the match, and you know,
so we was just fine tuning that all the way
up until it was Tyn of Rock and Road.
Speaker 1: One of the things a lot of folks have talked
about that is a certainly part of the storyline, if
you will, of the fight between yourself and Tank, is
that you fought as amateurs. You knew each other from
those days. You're about the same age, you know, separated,
but you're you're actually younger than him. You're twenty nine,
he is thirty. Can you give me your side of
the story, so to say, about the memories of what
occurred in the amateurs? How many times did you fight?
What happened and how do you remember those times?
Speaker 2: We thought twice they were very close competitive fights. And
you know, the storyline that attests to how close they
were is the fact that we fought in the same
tournament before twice in the same tournament.
Speaker 3: You know, that doesn't happen. We fought in the regional
championship and.
Speaker 2: I lost in Baltimore, and we sent the tape to
USA Boxing, and they sent me an at large bid
because they was like, it was a little this this
this outcome is a little iffy, so to say.
Speaker 3: So, they sent me to the nationals.
Speaker 2: As well with an at large bid and I was
on the other side of the bracket.
Speaker 3: He was on the other side of the bracket.
Speaker 2: We met up in the championship and he beat me
in a close fight, So you know, it is.
Speaker 3: What it is.
Speaker 2: I think I want a second fight. I think the
second fight I did better than the first fight. Of uh,
it is what it is. And we do got the
tape too. I think we're probably the only we're probably
the only people who do have a tape only put
it on YouTube.
Speaker 1: Some I got a while. I'd love to watch that.
If you did. What year was that, Alamont? What year
do you remember? So do you think I mean, like
you said, if they whatever, whether you lost or not,
you you believe that they were close and competitive. I
guess to the extent that even USA boxing, you know,
basically puts you in to uh be on the road
to a possible rematch. And I've asked this the fighters
when they fought in amateur fights and then they meet
up as professionals. Some say it does, some say it doesn't.
Do you think there's any bearing at all because you
have at least a cursory knowledge of having been in
the ring with him. Yes, you've evolved, Yes it's a
while ago, but you know you've been face to face
with them inside the boxing ring. That does it mean
anything is to go into the professional fight.
Speaker 3: Honestly.
Speaker 2: Hmmm. Maybe not honestly if we honestly speaking, because I'm
a totally different fighter.
Speaker 3: Uh, I think he might be.
Speaker 1: Mm hmm.
Speaker 2: But when it comes down to like, because it's personal,
Like the fight itself is not personal. When I'm talking
about the familiar the familiarity with him, it is personal.
Like I know him fairly better than a lot of
I mean, damn there everybody he probably fought, so, uh,
you know, we actually have history, like outside of our fights,
you know, we sparred a few times. I know, I
just know how he operates from from what I know
from from the encounters we have. You know, we've been
in We've been in the same spaces since we were
about ten, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3: So that's a long time. And my dad coached him
on the on the National Golden Gloves team to a.
Speaker 2: To a national title, uh, to win the National Golden Gloves.
Speaker 3: So it's just it's it's it's a lot of factors there, said, I.
Speaker 1: Do get to feel out, do you think the feeling
there's a lot you know, you guys may not be best friends,
but like you that you're familiar that there's definitely a
healthy respect be peing you guys.
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, for sure, it's definitely healthy respect.
Speaker 2: Cool, like you know what I'm saying outside of the
outside of the boxing, Like you know what I'm saying
outside of the boxing and there ek me, I'm cool.
I mean like, if you ask him, he'll be He'll
tell you that we folks like people.
Speaker 3: So it's cool, all right.
Speaker 1: I got to ask this though. You know you are
from Washington, d C. You had a great crowd at
your fight in June. He's from Baltimore. That's you know,
just up the road I'm in. I live in that area,
so I know the rivalry. Uh you know that. So
it felt like this is a DMV fight Capitol One Arena.
He had a huge gate there when he fought the
guy you beat for the title in Hector Luis Garcia.
You had a great crowd for years. DC would be
absolutely going crazy Baltimore for this fight. So nothing against
brooklynw York. Wonderful venue, great fight city. Obviously, Barclay Center,
first class all the way, covered many many fights there.
How in the world is this fight not in the
DMV Washington d C?
Speaker 2: Tell me about it, I think, so, you know, here's
a superstar, so I'm pretty sure, like I'm thinking they're
thinking about how the crowd is normally for you know,
pro Jamonte and the crowd in DC would definitely be
at least fifty to fifty and that's just at least,
so that might be a thing. Probably didn't want me
to have a home field advantage or what application may be.
Speaker 3: But we could have did it anywhere in the area. Honestly,
you know what I'm saying, Like, did you want it
in the area? I would have preferred it, Yeah, But
to me, it don't. Man. We could fight in Africa
for all I can.
Speaker 1: All right, so when you go into the ring, I mean,
we all know Gervonte Davis is a tremendous puncher. Doesn't
throw a lot of punches, but he's knocked out virtually
everybody and he's just been a dominating figure. You are
obviously more of a supreme boxer. You didn get a
knockout of your last fight, though, so I wonder how
do you plan to deal with that punching power?
Speaker 2: Best spawn bigger guys and uh we respawn guys that
are considered punchers. Uh, you know, it's a totally different
story once you get in there than.
Speaker 3: Ay ounces and know, but I've been punching him. I've
been pushing the face.
Speaker 2: When I was Now you though, man, like you know
what I'm saying, Like if his better think a.
Speaker 3: Little more, you know what I'm saying, they might sting
a little more.
Speaker 2: They're gonna sting a little more. But trust me, I
like to think I got a chin. Never been down,
amateur or professional, never been hurt, like to like to
the chin or whatever the case may be.
Speaker 3: So it is what it is. Like we ready. Then
the thing is, we're gonna see how he reacts when
he gets hit by my my punches.
Speaker 1: Anyway, Well, if you've been getting hits into or not,
I'll just say, better at you than me from that standpoint.
And I looked over his record just as I was
getting ready to talk to you, and I was sort
of thinking to myself, Okay, he fought an older, sort
of not near his best gamboa who was obviously a
great boxer, electrifying talent and a gold medal winner in
the Olympics, but he wasn't at his best. Come out
of the equation, I was looking and like you're still
a top fresh prime guy world champ. Uh. I feel
like looking at that record that Lamar Roach Jr. Is
probably the best pure boxer he'll ever have faced so
far in his professional career. What is your what is
your take on that that maybe you've got the skills
to really cause him some trouble with the boxing ability
that you possess.
Speaker 2: That's a fact that everything you just said is definitely
a fact.
Speaker 3: It's a fact for sure.
Speaker 2: And they know that though I think they're going to
prepare they I think I know they're going to prepare
for you know, what I have to.
Speaker 3: Bring to the table. Like they know that one hundred
for a fact that I'm the best all around like
boxer that he's going to be in a ring with.
Speaker 1: When they talk about who they want to see Tank fight,
I'll wrap up with this. Uh. They talk about wanting
to see a Tank against of course Stevenson a unification.
They talk about it ta Fimo Lopez fight. There's been
a lot of conversation. They tried to make recently a
Lomachenko fight. He elected to take some time off. Uh
mentioned Lama Roach. I've heard people like kind of poo
pooh the fight, say you know Mutch he's you know,
they're upset about the fight. I'm like, why this is
a really good boxer against a really good puncher. They
got that rivalry from the home, you know, from the
home region, And so when they don't mention your name
and they kind of overlook you and I'm not just
kissing your your ad because we're doing the interview, I
kind of think it's unfair. But why do you think
that that is that they look at those other names
but they don't include a Lamont Roach Junior in that
conversation about like a worthy opponent for Tank Davis.
Speaker 2: Uh. Mainly probably because I'm not known to a lot
of casual fans and people who don't really know or
are in tune with boxing and it's boxing it in
its entirety, you know what I'm saying, Like, some people
really just don't know, so that might be a factor.
And like I said, he's a megas, he's a megastars,
a super star, and he has been knocking everybody out,
so you know what I'm saying, Like, so you know
what I'm saying, Like there's pieces that go together that
would make people say what they say about the fight
or whatever the case may be. I'm not a worthy opponent,
but for real, real, I got a lot of profanity
for them.
Speaker 3: That's about it, all right.
Speaker 1: So then to the final question that what would the
victory mean to you, not only a world title, but
knocking off you know, like you said one of the
biggest stars in boxing.
Speaker 3: That it's gonna it's gonna mean so much to me.
Speaker 2: But it's definitely gonna Uh, it's definitely just gonna be this,
that's gonna this is gonna be the start of my
my legacy, brun you know, like you know how some
people have a run like Ory Jones was champion and
so many weight becus for teen years, pak yall Wood
up from one twelve all the way to fifty four
to knock everybody.
Speaker 3: Like you know what I'm saying, a staple in it.
Speaker 2: This is my staple, right cause, trust me, after this,
I'm gonna go Vinands trust me.
Speaker 1: Alright. Well, that's big words. I look forward to seeing
if you can back them up on March first at
Barclay cent and Brooklyn Lmont. Thank you very much for
the time. I wish you're the best of luck in
to fight
Speaker 3: Alright, no doubt, man I appreciate you.