Trash talk is a staple of fight promotion—sometimes it’s real, sometimes it’s just good marketing. Fighters love to stir the pot, keeping fans guessing whether the beef is legit or just for show. WBA super featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr. has finally spilled the tea on his heated exchanges with Gervonta Davis.

Davis and Roach will collide on March 1st at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for their 12-round skirmish for Davis’ WBA lightweight strap. The pair have been engaged in heated arguments on X and during their press conferences in the lead-up to the fight, which has led some to question whether these two really hate each other.

While appearing in an interview with Fight Hub TV, Roach was pressed about the same when he set the record straight about his dynamics with Gervonta Davis. “It’s not really animosity, it’s competition,” he said. “That’s where we are with it. It ain’t animosity, I don’t got no problem with him, he don’t got no problem with me.”

As for what may have sparked the trash talk between them, Roach speculated it’s the support he is getting from his fans. “He might have taken a little offense to what I’m saying, the people showing up for me, but what you expect. You in my backyard, like in my hometown literally in the middle of my hometown,” Roach told Fight Hub TV.

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Regardless, Roach enters this fight as a massive underdog—not just because he has a loss on his record, but because he’s moving up in weight and already has two amateur defeats against Davis. Meanwhile, Davis is facing criticism for taking this fight instead of challenging the top names in his own division.

Nonetheless, predictions for the fight this weekend have started coming in!

Jim Lampley on Gervonta Davis vs. Lamont Roach Jr.

Jim Lampley, the legendary voice of HBO Boxing, will co-host a live chat on PPV.com during Gervonta Davis’ WBA lightweight title defense against Lamont Roach Jr. this Saturday. Lampley sees Davis as a dominant force, predicting a middle-round TKO victory.

“Even if Tank did not possess his shocking punching power, he would be an elite lightweight on the basis of his crafty boxing, southpaw style advantage, clever footwork and visible killer instinct,” Lampley said. “But it is pure power that really sets him apart.”

While Roach has won six straight since losing a title fight in 2019, Lampley remains unconvinced of his chances. “The most experienced boxing writer I know gave Roach ‘the same chance I give to a caterpillar crawling in the way of a steamroller,’” he added.

That said, Lamont Roach Jr. doesn’t seem to have any ill will for Gervonta Davis beyond their boxing match. However, whether a lack of animosity will help him defeat the best lightweight in the world is yet to be seen. Do you think Roach can beat Davis?